Police have charged three Florida Wal-Mart employees with manslaughter in the death of a 64-year-old suspected of shoplifting.
The workers are accused of suffocating Kenneth Wisham, 64, after they chased him down for allegedly stealing nearly $400 worth of DVDs from the Wal-Mart on North Road 98 in Lakeland on Feb. 7, a local Fox News affiliate reported.
Mr. Wisham fell to the ground and the employees held him there until police arrived, the station reported.
Mr. Wisham was transported to the hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead, Lakeland police said.
The coroner ruled that Mr. Wisham died of mechanical asphyxia. The autopsy also revealed that he suffered 15 broken ribs, Fox News reported.
The three Walmart employees charged were Nathan Allen Higgins, 35, who was a support manager; Crucelis Nunez, 23, who was a customer service manager, and Randall Eugene Toko, 58, who was in loss prevention, Fox News reported.
Wal-Mart suspended the three employees in February as police investigated Mr. Wisham’s death, the station said.
They were taken into custody Thursday.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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