Given the deadly mass shootings at an El Paso, Texas Walmart over the weekend, Marietta Police are releasing details of a knife incident at Walmart store on Cobb Parkway Monday morning that led to the peaceful arrest of a man.
Marietta Police said officers were dispatched to the Walmart store at 210 Cobb Parkway (just south of the Big Chicken) at 7:49 a.m. Monday in what was labeled a family dispute. The initial 911 call indicated there were no weapons or injuries.
By the time police arrived, they were getting calls from the public and the 911 call was upgraded. That’s because a man later identified as the caller picked up a large kitchen knife from a store aisle and tried to remove the packaging. Police said he also was aggressively approaching a Walmart employee.
Marietta Police said officers found the suspect and arrested him without incident. He’s Jerry Wayne Thompson, 50, a white male of an unspecified address, who was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct.
They also said such an incident, where nobody got hurt or more serious charges were not filed, don’t alway warrant such a public explanation:
“The Marietta Police Department understands our community is concerned after the horrific shootings that occurred over the weekend in Texas and Ohio. We recognize how events like the one detailed above could cause the average person anxiety and are working now to organize another Civilian Response to Active Shooter Event (CRASE) training seminar. We will share the CRASE event details as soon as they are finalized. Today, we applaud Walmart for the coordinated and methodical way they worked with us to ensure everyone’s safety.”
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