A 21-year-old man, Shane C.L. Newman, is accused of attempting to execute a point-blank shooting of a Canton, Ohio police officer inside a Walmart loss prevention office after being detained for shoplifting, but the handgun twice failed to fire and he was tackled and disarmed by a store loss prevention employee and the officer. He now faces serious felony charges including attempted murder, felonious assault on a peace officer, robbery, and aggravated drug possession, while his alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Katerina D. Jeffrey, is charged with complicity to commit robbery and remains jailed on a high bond.
What happened in the room
- Newman and Jeffrey were detained in the Canton Walmart’s loss prevention office around early afternoon after staff suspected them of shoplifting, and an off-duty Canton officer working security began processing them.
- While seated and appearing calm, Newman allegedly pulled a concealed handgun from a bag or sling, pointed it at the officer’s head at close range, and pulled the trigger, with bodycam audio capturing an audible “click” instead of a shot.
- Witnesses and video indicate Newman tried to fire a second time as the woman screamed at him to stop, but the gun again did not discharge.
Intervention by Walmart employee
- A Walmart loss prevention or asset protection associate immediately lunged at Newman, grabbed for the weapon, and wrestled him to the ground, which allowed the officer to draw his own gun and help disarm and handcuff Newman.
- The officer later stated Newman “pointed it right at my face and pulled the trigger” and said he did not fire his own weapon initially because he feared hitting the Walmart employee who was physically between him and Newman during the struggle.
- Walmart’s spokesperson publicly praised the associate as brave and said the company would continue cooperating with the police investigation, emphasizing that safety of customers and employees is a top priority.
Charges and alleged contraband
- Court filings and police statements indicate Newman is charged with attempted murder, felonious assault on a peace officer, robbery, aggravated possession of drugs, and having weapons under disability.
- Reports note that Newman allegedly possessed a container with roughly 50 doses of MDMA (“molly”) or similar illegal pills in addition to shoplifted merchandise.
- Jeffrey is accused of complicity to commit robbery and, in some coverage, having weapons under disability related to ammunition in her possession, and is held on a bond reportedly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Police and community response
- Canton police officials underscored that no one was physically injured, calling the incident a stark reminder of the constant risk of sudden violence officers face, even during “routine” shoplifting calls.
- The Canton police chief publicly characterized the event as an “ever-present threat of violence against police officers” and credited what he described as providence and community support for officer safety, echoing the religious framing you quoted.
Legal stakes and likely next steps
- With an alleged attempted point-blank shooting of a peace officer during a felony, Newman is facing the possibility of extremely long prison exposure if convicted, given Ohio’s sentencing enhancements for attempted aggravated murder and assault on law enforcement.
- Both defendants remain in the Stark County Jail on high bonds (reported around $1 million for Newman and $500,000 for Jeffrey) pending upcoming court dates, where issues like indictment details, plea negotiations, and potential competency or evidence motions will typically be addressed.
If you want, the legal elements of attempted murder and felonious assault on a peace officer in Ohio can be broken down in simple terms, or this can be compared with how similar conduct would be charged in another state you’re interested in.
