Shoplift suspect dies in confrontation with Walmart workers in Lithonia, Georgia, police say

LITHONIA, Ga. — A man suspected of shoplifting DVD players at a Walmart died Sunday after a confrontation with workers at the Atlanta-area store.

WSB-TV reported that the man was pronounced dead after an altercation with workers outside a store in Lithonia.

The company said two workers were suspended with pay, and a security contractor will no longer work at the store, located about 15 miles east of downtown Atlanta.

“No amount of merchandise is worth someone’s life,” Walmart spokeswoman Dianna Gee said in a statement.

The station said a police report showed that a middle-aged man was caught shoplifting two DVD players from the store about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He left, but three workers caught him and had an altercation in the parking lot.

Police arrived to find the store workers on top of the man, who was unresponsive and bleeding from the nose and mouth.

He was later pronounced dead at DeKalb Medical-Hillandale hospital.

Gee said two store employees who were involved in the confrontation were suspended with pay during an investigation, and a contractor who worked in security at the store “will no longer be providing services to us.”

In the statement released to The Associated Press, Gee said the man’s death was “truly a sad situation.”

“Associates are trained to disengage from situations that would put themselves or others at risk,” she said. “That being said, this is still an active investigation and we’re working with police to provide any assistance.”

The company said it was reviewing what happened to determine whether proper policies were followed.

Lithonia police did not return a message seeking comment.

By Associated Press