Man accused of shoplifting at Walmart pulls gun and aims at officer, but something goes wrong when he pulls the trigger

A shoplifting accusation quickly turned into an attempted murder case when 21-year-old Shane Newman pointed a gun at a police officer inside an Ohio Walmart. The weapon failed to fire, and the entire incident was recorded on video.

According to TMZ, the situation happened around 1:40 PM inside the store’s loss prevention office. Newman was facing shoplifting charges when he pulled out a firearm. In the footage, he appears nervous and keeps chewing on his gloved fingers before the incident escalates.

Newman briefly turned his back to the camera while sitting in the office. When he spun back around, he had a gun in his hand. He immediately pointed the weapon at an officer who was standing off-camera. The officer was only there to handle what seemed like a routine shoplifting case and had no warning of what was about to happen.

The gun’s failure saved the officer’s life

A clear click sound can be heard on the video as Newman pulled the trigger. The gun never fired, giving the officer and store staff a chance to react. That single mechanical failure prevented what could have been a deadly shooting.

The loss prevention specialist immediately jumped on Newman and knocked the gun from his hand. The officer then rushed in, hit Newman with a knee strike to his stomach, and forced him to the ground. They quickly restrained him and ended the dangerous situation. This isn’t the first time Walmart’s business practices have sparked controversy, though this incident involves far more serious criminal charges.

Newman now faces serious charges including attempt to commit murder, felonious assault on a peace officer, and robbery. He’s also charged with drug possession and weapons under disability. The weapons charge exists because a prior felony conviction legally banned him from owning or carrying any firearm.

Police found 50 blue pills identified as Molly, which is MDMA, on Newman. What started as a shoplifting accusation became much worse because he brought a gun and illegal drugs into the store. Recent incidents have shown how Walmart handles various customer situations, though none compare to the severity of this attempted shooting.

Authorities also arrested 23-year-old Katerina Jeffrey and charged her with complicity to commit robbery. Officers found two rounds of 9mm ammunition in her pocket during a search. Both Newman and Jeffrey were taken to Stark County Jail after the incident.