Walmart greeter, 69, roughed up by customer (Retired Marine hits back; Video)

KING TV / WESHTV ^ | December 29, 2009 | DAN BILLOW

[Stoat]

When you leave Wal-Mart after making a purchase, you walk past a scanner that sets off an alarm if you haven't paid for something.

And if the alarm goes off at this Wal-Mart, Ed Bauman will want to talk to you.

Ed Bauman, Wal-Mart greeter, says "I'm getting too old for this stuff."

Too old to be punched in the head by a customer who exception to Bauman's questions.

Ed says "when he swang, he got me right here," pointing to the back of his head.

The 69-year-old greeter was at the entrance when a man in red shorts, identified as Skyler Lowery set off the alarm but then refused to stop when Bauman questioned him.

Bauman went outside to get his license but then the guy rips Bauman's clipboard from his hands and goes back inside.

Ed says "I grabbed the clip board back and as I was doing that, he hit me with a doubled-up fist behind my ear."

The 6-foot-2 retired Marine didn't back down.

Ed says "the security officer said if you would have hit him in the jaw the way you hit him in the chest, you would have knocked him out."

Police arrested Lowery who would have faced a charge of misdemeanor battery had Bauman been under 65. But hitting an older person is a felony and Bauman says he still doesn't know why it happened.

The alarm was false and Lowery had a receipt for everything in his bag.

Failing to show the receipt in this case meant the difference between 10 seconds and five years. It would have taken 10 seconds to show the receipt but now he faces up to five years for battery on a person over 65.
 

[jackibutterfly]

I have NO idea what you are talking about. Stalking you?? Tracking you for days?? Are you kidding? Well, you are dead wrong. If I’ve responded to some other post of yours, I wasn’t aware. I don’t keep track of who I’m posting to. I just post. Why don’t you go back and read what you posted. If it was only 2 typos and it made sense, I wouldn’t have questioned you. As it was, your post made no sense. How come you are so sensitive anyway? And, I’m not a guy, by the way.

[ReneeLynn]

Baloney. You don’t hit old men because you’re ‘tired’ of something. Get a LOT of receipt checks do you? Show yer stupid receipt and get on with your life.

[Manly Warrior]

Well, FL spells it out much more clearly than MO in regards to anti-theft systems etc. MO statue does allow much of the same-I agree that a merchant farmer or other “proprietor” can lawfully detain someone based on this rather vague “probable cause”, I admit learning this; however, I find it somewhat onerous and certainly prone to personality and application. Would I allow a non-LEO to search me? No. I would demand the AUTHORITES be called.

Why do I stand firmly on this? Because I always carry a firearm (except when in a “prohibited place”-which I no longer grace w/my person or my cash). I am not required to inform anyone other than a licensed peace officer (on government duty, not moon-light security work at wally-world), and then per MO statute, only if they ask.

My status as a CCW is between me and the state of MO, or if in extreme circumstances, a person who has put me in a lethal force situation. No one else gets to pat me down, look at my wallet, demand ID (I don't carry my passport, everything else in my wallet pertains to some permitted activity (driving, CCW)or status (VA Disability card, DOD Retired status/geneva conventions card) etc. Period.

Yes, I do pay in cash, so far no one has asked me to present a “cash-holders” ID, yet.

Yeah, I am a pain in the behind on security/privacy issues, has something to do with my constitutionally guaranteed God-given natural rights.

Thanks for taking me to task-I learned something that may come in handy someday.

[Centurion2000]

Show yer stupid receipt and get on with your life.

Show your papers and get on with your life .... spoken like a fascist.

[mad_as_he$$]

Shame on Wal-Mart for expecting a guy this old to act as security.

That said I hate Wal-mart, but I shop there. Why? Becasue they have the stuff and are the closest retailer to me. I see their employees being abused by Hispanic Males all of the time. I have even stuck my nose in once or twice. The latest one was a white 30’s something checker in Garden working basically alone be smack talked by two 20 something Hispanic punks. I asked them to stop and one told me to F’off so I drove my cart over him. They left in a hurry. They just do not understand the old pissed off white guy thing.

Do not mess with old men they will just kill you.

[ReneeLynn]

Oh, brother. This thread is getting looney.

[NittanyLion]

Show your papers and get on with your life .... spoken like a fascist.

You seem to be overlooking the fact that the property owner is the one imposing the checks. Seems to me that property rights give said owner the right to perform a receipt check if they so choose.

[Stoat]

I see their employees being abused by Hispanic Males all of the time.

I'm very sorry and saddened to hear that. 

I'm wondering how the WalMart management would react to the spectre of "pissed-off old white guys" taking video footage of their employees being abused in the manner that you speak of and then posting the videos online?  I'm guessing that it wouldn't take more than a few videos like that, with the date and the store location prominently featured, before you would 'magically' see an increase in security staff there and a significant reduction in such abusive activity.

If word got out that their store was an unsafe, or even merely an unfriendly place to work or shop, I would think that would just kill their business....and there is nothing quite like the notion of people being afraid to come into their store to get the Management's attention.

There are at least one or two websites where all that they do is post pictures of funny-looking and poorly-dressed WalMart shoppers....and they are VERY popular sites, probably providing a good income for the site owners.  I would think that a website that posted links to YouTube videos documenting thuggish customer behaviors in WalMart would be quite popular as well. 

Thank you for being an aggressive shopping cart driver ;-)        I have a feeling that just as our wonderful Swift Boat Vets saved our nation from John Kerry not so very long ago, that the "pissed-off old white guys" (and gals) will be the ones who will be instrumental in reclaiming our Nation from a wide variety of troubles in the years to come.  Full steam ahead :-)

[mad_as_he$$]

Thanks for your kind words. About 6 years ago I decided I had had enough of public bad behavior. I call people on bad behavior all the time. Mrs Mad was not happy at first and then she got it and has become more militant than I.

BTW a shopping cart is a formidable weapon. Hit anyone on the side or from the back and they are going down. Then you just do a wheelie and drive right up on them. It can also be used to keep an attacker at bay until you can draw your weapon and solve the problem. Everyone should grab a cart in the parking lot and practice fast moves etc at least once a week.

The web site is a great idea!!!!