Posted on July 14, 2021

Elderly Woman, 70, ‘Repeatedly Punched’ by Teenage Walmart Employee Speaks Out

Alejandra Palacios Perez, CNN, July 11, 2021

The elderly woman who police say was repeatedly punched by a 17-year-old Walmart employee on Wednesday, July 7, is speaking out about the incident, saying this situation could have been avoided.

“It has been quite a journey and why anyone would do that? I don’t know. And why no one helped is even more, especially in a Walmart store,” said P.K. Shader, the victim.

P.K. Shader

P.K. Shader

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{snip} According to the criminal complaint, Shader asked to speak to a manager after having negative interaction with the employee, Jazareia Velasquez.

Jazareia Velasquez

Jazareia Velasquez

“The manager was right there watching the interaction. She (Velasquez) left and I looked at the manager and I said do you let her talk to all your customers like that? I didn’t get a reply. As I was leaving I thought I really want to know what her name is because I want to send it to corporate,” said Shader.

Shader said she didn’t see her name tag and attempted to take a picture of Velazquez to report her.

“She went crazy she flew and she punched me fist right here (in the face) over and over again,” said Shader.

Velasquez of Racine, was arrested and later charged with aggravated battery to an elderly person and disorderly conduct.

Shader says what took her by surprise the most is the lack of people stepping in to help her at the time and employees apparently knowing of Velazquez’s temperament.

“What if it was your grandmother, what if it was your mother? The managers knew she was a loose cannon. The first manager said nothing. The second one told me. So why did they keep an employee like that? That’s a bigger problem than not having security,” said Shader.

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