A confrontation between a Family Dollar worker and an alleged shoplifter turned deadly in Phoenix, Arizona, last week.
Family Dollar employee Kevin Salas Madrid, 24, has been charged with second-degree murder in the incident, according to KSAZ-TV, Fox 10 in Phoenix.
The victim was an alleged serial shoplifter, according to KSAZ.
Madrid told police that he told the man to leave the store after the man entered on Wednesday, according to KPHO-TV.
Court documents cited by KPHO stated that an argument ensued.
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Arizona Family Dollar employee charged with murder after firing 10 shots at shoplifter who punched him https://t.co/wMYpLxH8df
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 26, 2023
According to KPHO, a witness said the man, who was not identified in the reports, struck Madrid with a closed fist, which knocked Madrid’s eyeglasses off of his face.
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At that point, Madrid began shooting. At least 10 shots were fired, with one witness telling police he heard 15 shots.
Even after the man fell to the ground, Madrid fired more, according to KPHO.
According to KPHO, Madrid told a fellow employee he could not control his anger. Madrid told investigators he saw no weapons on the man he shot, according to KPHO.
Most commenters on Twitter supported Madrid.
No sympathy for people that break the law, including shop lifting!
— Harry Tallman (@HTallmann) March 26, 2023
With laws being made these days they’ll probably start charging the employees for not helping the shoplifters.
— J D Wildermuth (@jameswildermu10) March 26, 2023
It’s egregious charging him with murder.
— Ryan (@ryan__5420) March 26, 2023
“Kevin stated he had made the worst decision of his life,” police wrote in a probable cause statement cited by KSAZ.
“Kevin explained he was struck and decided to shoot but looking back, he realized it was egregious,” the statement said.
Last year, retailers bemoaned the rise of retail theft.
“Today, this thing is an epidemic. It’s spreading faster than COVID,” former chairman and CEO of Chrysler and Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli said, according to the New York Post.
“The degree of severity now, it’s not just theft, it’s smash and grab. There’s an entitlement out there that if you have it, you’ve worked hard to earn it. ‘I want it. I’m just going to take it.’”
