Incident at Walmart in Gainesville
A woman from Gainesville, Florida, has been arrested for allegedly using pepper spray on a Walmart employee who attempted to stop her from stealing a cart full of merchandise. The incident took place in November and led to the arrest of Quinnetta Lashara Quinn, 38.
Details of the Alleged Crime
According to reports from the Gainesville Police Department, the incident occurred at 7:50 p.m. on November 20 at the northwest Walmart located at 5700 NW 23rd Street. A Walmart Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) reported that a woman attempted to leave the store with a cart filled with stolen items. When the LPO tried to intervene, the woman sprayed the officer three times in the face with pepper spray.
The confrontation escalated as the woman and the LPO struggled over the cart and its contents. The woman managed to flee the store with the cart and entered a waiting van, leaving the merchandise behind. The LPO captured a photo of the van and its license plate, which would later play a crucial role in identifying the suspect.
Surveillance Evidence
Walmart’s surveillance footage reportedly showed the woman entering the store at 7:26 p.m. She selected 16 items of clothing and a loaf of bread, valued at $185. She then pushed the cart past all the registers and attempted to exit the store without paying. The LPO confronted her in the front vestibule.
The video also showed the woman walking toward the LPO with her hand raised and something in her hand. According to the LPO, the woman warned, “You better not come over here… I’m going to spray you,” before using the pepper spray. The LPO tried to remove some items from the cart, but the woman overpowered her and took the cart out of the store with a few items inside.
However, the van drove away as soon as the woman got in, preventing her from taking the items. All the merchandise was eventually recovered.
Identification of the Suspect
Detectives identified Quinn through the license plate of the van, photos of her face, and her tattoos. They also found a Facebook post featuring Quinn wearing the same leopard print headband that the suspect was seen wearing during the incident.
Quinn has a history of criminal activity, including seven felony convictions (two of which are violent) and 18 misdemeanor convictions (two of which are violent). She has served three state prison sentences, with her most recent release in 2022. Additionally, she faces a sworn complaint for burglary with battery, burglary of a vehicle, battery, and grand theft from a November 16 incident.
She was also involved in a January 2024 incident where she allegedly threatened four juveniles with a taser at a bus stop, although those charges were later dropped.
Legal Proceedings
Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered Quinn to be held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to keep her detained until trial. If the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.
Important Note
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.