Walmart Greeter Punched By Customer Gets Fired

WESH-TV ^ | 1/8/2010 | Staff

[VeniVidiVici]

Greeter Terminated For 'Gross Misconduct'

PALM BAY, Fla. --
A Walmart greeter who was shown on video getting punched by a customer has been fired.

Ed Bauman, 69, said the act of defending himself cost him his job.

Bauman went into Walmart hoping to get back to work for the first time since police said he was punched by a customer. Instead, Bauman said he was fired. His termination notice called the incident an act of "gross misconduct" and accused Bauman of fighting with a customer.

"They told me I did a good job of defending myself," said Bauman. "Then they turned around and fired me. I guess they just wanted me to stand there and get beaten."

[Screaming_Gerbil]

So is Walmart policy you can walk into their store, take what you want and walk out and they won't try to stop you in any way? I'm not being sarcastic I really want to know what their procedure is for theft.

I have never worked for them, but know someone who has. I believe that the policy is to try to get them to stop and call the police with a description if they don't.

I did walk in to a Meijer store a few months back and see a couple of black young ladies laughing as the older white lady Meijer greeter was telling them to come back.

Inside the store another Meijer employee (another older white lady) was calling the police.

I just had to stop and hang around and watch (and be a witness in case something happened to the lady who went outside the store).

I was surprised to see a police cruiser arrive before the two young ladies made it all the way to their car...

So some stories have happy endings.

If you are angry that the company policy means thieves who steal items can get away with it because it's more trouble to chase them down and catch them and prosecute them, well, I feel the same way. But that's the way it is.

Look at it this way - someone who steals for a living or just because they are mean probably lives a pretty crappy life. I can only imagine such people either are known by everyone around them as being dishonest and therefore not to be trusted and/or they hang around with people like themselves and have to constantly watch their back themselves.

And since it's so easy to get away with taking things that don't belong to them, they are going to keep doing it until they get theirs one day.

That they can come into your neighborhood and steal from your local store and in so doing sort of trash your neighborhood does bother me.

Even though I sometimes have issues with the police (such as drug raids where they hit the wrong address and shoot the family pets and terrorize the homeowners), I will say I was pretty happy to see the police cruiser arrive in time to intercept the two young ladies in the Meijer parking lot that day.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

I turned down a job as door greeter at Wal Mart.They told me I cant wear my 1911 colt 45.

They were probably concerned that you might be tempted to draw it...

[Paige]

WalMart if vile and does “NOT” give a rats hiney about their workers. Continue to take up for them, one day you may have the honor of running into problems when dealing with the Chinese loving money hungry bunch.

[Paige]

if == IS***

[Screaming_Gerbil]

What you didn’t see was the surveillance tape from outside the store, the one that shows the customer running up to the security guard and ripping the clipboard out of his hands. The guard was taking his clipboard back in the clip you linked to....

Well, that would certainly change things...

Except that if the WalMart employee took a description and called the police instead of going after the other guy trying to get his clipboard back, that other guy would definitely be guilty of assault and theft. Now it looks like the WalMart employee assaulted the other guy.

[napscoordinator]

Oh yes the 69 year old was so innocent. Give me a break...he threw out a racial slur or two. Walmart did the right thing.

[NittanyLion]

Give me a break...he threw out a racial slur or two.

This is the first time I've heard this. Can you source this statement?

[pnut22]

Well.. I didn’t realize I was taking up for them. I need money.. they pay me to work. That’s my relationship. They have policies and as long as I follow them I will continue to get a paycheck.

[NittanyLion]

Oops - sorry. I missed the customer’s accusation in the article the first time I read through. That said, it’s not so surprising that a thief who attacked an employee would make false accusations, is it?

[No Surrender No Retreat]

how do you know?

[Paige]

WalMart does not have any desire to support this country. I’ve often thought about Sam and wondered what he would think of WalMart (his hearts desire) if he could see the way his money hungry daughter has led the company.

Jobs are scarce, and I am sorry you have to work at a WalMart. Prayerfully you’ll be able to find a better company to work for in the future.

[dennisw]

You are wrong
Video shows-—>>
The black kid sailed out of the store and refused to show the receipt and buzzer went off
The greeter walked out and was writing down his license plate number on his clipboard
Kid runs back and grabs clipboard
Blows are exchanged after that

[surfer]

Walmart needs to hear from every FREEPER...more Americans need to stand their ground and not take any crap from anyone.

[dennisw]

A 23-year-old man will face a judge next month after police said he punched a 69-year-old Wal-Mart greeter in the head after the greeter asked to see a purchase receipt.

Palm Bay, Florida -- A 23-year-old man will face a judge next month after police said he punched a 69-year-old Wal-Mart greeter in the head after the greeter asked to see a purchase receipt.

Skyler Lowery, of Palm Bay, was charged with battery on a person 65 or older after police officers were called about 8:30 a.m. Saturday to the Wal-Mart at 1040 Malabar Road to investigate reports of disturbance.

The man was arrested and taken to the Brevard County Detention Center in Sharpes where he later posted a $5,000 bond before going to an initial court appearance, officials said. The greeter was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries, officials said.

Police said Lowery was leaving the store following a post-Christmas shopping stop with a bag in his right hand when the store's security alarm went off near the front entrance.

Police said the greeter asked to see Lowery's receipt, a routine carried out throughout the day at the retail store.

 

 

Lowery flashed the receipt and kept walking, prompting the greeter to follow the man outside, police reported.

 

 

Police said Lowery grabbed the greeter's clipboard and tore up the greeter's papers.

 

 

Moments later, police said Lowery punched the 69-year-old greeter in the head before a second worker intervened.

 

 

Lowery would not comment about the case today, but said there was more to incident than portrayed on the videotape released by authorities. He also said he was hoping to release a more direct statement about the Wal-Mart scuffle later today.

 

 

The battery charge is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

[dennisw]

The punk did accuse the greeter of making a racial slur but refused to sp[specify to police what the slur was. Of course I don’t believe this punk named Skylar

[Little Ray]

No. They don’t think. They have a set of binders with corporate policies and procedures. Deviate from that and they’re in an unknown country and don’t speak the language.

[Free Vulcan]

That’s their policy. If you want to keep your job, you take the bullet.

[over3Owithabrain]

Thanks for the explanation. Based on your tagline, you probably are a turn-the-other-cheek kinda guy! Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but personally I believe in stopping people AS they are doing evil, not waiting for them to get theirs sometime down the road. The Walmart worker wanted the guy caught and took his license down. He then reacted in turn physically to the guy grabbing his clipboard. Shouldn’t lose his job for that. The victims and do-gooders shouldn’t be made the bad guy. The criminal created this entire situatiuon and then predictably played the race card.

[over3Owithabrain]

Seems so but how pathetic. To fire the guy and state gross misconduct is shameful. Whatever happened to quietly calling a guy into the office and saying you appreciated how much he cared about Walmart's merchandise and safety but he needs to handle it differently next time and then let it go?

In every phase, we are simply not a nation of men anymore. Just victims, whiners, amd plaintffs.

[Eagles6]

"The customer also claimed to be acting in self-defense. He accused Bauman of using a slur against him."

Public Defender 101. When charged with assault against a White person your first statement is "He called me a _____".