Knife-wielding shoplifter sparks mall evacuation
WHEATON, MD – A dramatic scene unfolded in a Maryland JCPenney on Wednesday when an alleged shoplifter, armed with a knife, barricaded himself in a fitting room. The four-hour standoff led to the evacuation of the store and ended with the suspect’s arrest. At approximately 10:30 a.m., police responded to the Westfield Wheaton Mall following reports of 37-year-old Christopher Lawrence attempting to steal a watch. Lawrence then retreated to a fitting room, brandishing a knife …