Three arrested after scuffle at Lodi Walmart
A Saturday-afternoon fight at Walmart on South Lower Sacramento Road resulted in three arrests for the Lodi Police Department
Officers arrived at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Lodi Police Sgt. Andre Belaski, and learned that the store’s loss prevention officer approached three customers suspected of attempted shoplifting and began escorting them from the store when Timnejha Wilson, 23, of Stockton, reportedly threw a water bottle at a loss prevention officer.
Derek Gordon, 21, of Stockton, then reportedly struck a loss prevention officer in the head before 18-year-old Imoni Cobbs of Antioch reportedly joined Gordon and Wilson in attacking the loss prevention officer.
“The injuries were minor,” Belaski said.
Payton McCormick, media relations manager for Walmart, said that two employees were involved in the altercation and took a few days off, although they are scheduled to return to work soon.
Gordon reportedly threatened to kill Walmart staff, and Cobbs reportedly gave Lodi police a false name and said she was a minor when the three were taken into custody.
Officers learned Cobbs’ real name when they took her fingerprints, and arrested her on suspicion of attempted robbery, criminal threats, battery, providing false identification to police and several outstanding warrants.
Gordon was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery, battery and threatening a witness and Wilson was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery, battery and several outstanding warrants.
Lodi Police Sgt. Steve Maynard said he and his fellow officers receive shoplifting calls from big box stores such as Walmart nearly every day, although the calls do not always involve physical altercations.
“Those are some of our most common calls for service, it’s almost a daily occurrence,” Maynard said. “Especially with all the development on Lower Sacramento Road and Kettleman Lane, those places are getting hit quite often.”