Another day, another reminder that the phrase routine police call is a fantasy sold by people who have never worn a badge. This time it happened inside a Walmart in Canton, Ohio, where a violent felon calmly attempted to execute a police officer at point blank range. The only reason the officer is alive today is because the criminal’s gun malfunctioned and a heroic Walmart employee refused to freeze.
The incident unfolded around 1:45 p.m. Thursday at a Walmart on Atlantic Boulevard NE in Canton. An officer with the Canton Police Department responded to what should have been a basic shoplifting call. Two suspects, 21-year-old Shane Newman and 23-year-old Katerina Jeffrey, were escorted to the store’s loss prevention office. That is where reality punched everyone in the face.
While inside the small room, Newman pulled out a handgun, aimed it directly at the officer’s head, and pulled the trigger. The gun failed to fire. Let that sink in. This was not a threat or a scuffle, it was an attempted execution. In the split second that followed, a Walmart asset protection associate named Conrad Piero tackled Newman, knocking him off balance and preventing another trigger pull. The officer then moved in, took Newman to the ground, and placed him under arrest.
Body camera footage shows the officer made a remarkable decision not to fire his own weapon. He later explained he did not want to risk shooting the Walmart employee who had jumped on top of the suspect. That is restraint under pressure that critics of law enforcement love to pretend never exists.
According to coworkers, Piero is a United States Marine Corps veteran. That explains a lot. When chaos hit, he did not panic or pull out his phone, he acted. That instinct saved a life.
Court records show Newman is now facing attempted murder, felonious assault on a police officer, robbery, drug possession, and having a weapon under disability. Police confirmed Newman was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction, which once again raises the uncomfortable question of how criminals keep getting guns while law abiding citizens get lectured. Officers also recovered 50 blue pills identified as Molly after his arrest. Jeffrey has been charged with complicity to commit robbery.
Both suspects appeared in court Friday. Newman was slapped with a one million dollar bond, while Jeffrey received a five hundred thousand dollar bond. They are expected back in court on December 23.
John Gabbard, the Canton Police Chief, summed it up perfectly. “This incident is a reminder of the ever-present threat of violence against police officers and the gracious provision of God’s protection.” He also thanked those who pray for officers and the community.
This is the reality cops face, even during a shoplifting call at Walmart. And yet, we are still told the real problem is policing, not violent criminals who have zero respect for life or the law.
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