TULSA, OK – Tulsa police apprehended a Walmart employee, Adrienne Edwards, who allegedly threatened to shoot a fellow worker. The incident reportedly occurred after Edwards was reprimanded for her disruptive behavior during a previous shift.
Several witnesses reported hearing Edwards make threatening comments aimed at a coworker. Police, responding to the incident, found Edwards in her car parked near the store’s entrance.
During a police interview conducted around 7:40 a.m. in the store’s parking lot, Edwards allegedly admitted to making the threats. She is now facing charges of threatening a violent act.
The incident comes as retailers, including Walmart, are preparing for the bustling holiday season, a time notorious for heightened stress, increased theft, and sporadic violent incidents. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), retail workers are particularly vulnerable to workplace violence. The Department of Labor, recognizing this risk, advises all threats to be taken seriously.
In a separate incident in Beavercreek, Ohio, a man armed with a rifle walked into a Walmart store, shot four people, and then committed suicide. Three of the victims are reported to be in stable condition, while the fourth is critical. In another incident in Anchorage, Alaska, a man shot a woman during her lunch break in a Walmart store before turning the gun on himself.