Viral Canton Walmart Shoplifting Suspect Pleads Not Guilty After Employee Intervenes

Shane C.L. Newman, 21, of Plain Township pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Feb. 20 in Stark County Common Pleas Court after a December Walmart shoplifting stop escalated into an alleged attempted shooting inside the store’s loss-prevention office at 3200 Atlantic Blvd. NE in Canton. The confrontation, captured on police and body camera video that circulated widely online, led to felony charges that include attempted murder.

Police and court records show the Dec. 18, 2025, incident began about 1:45 p.m. when officers responded to a report of shoplifting. While an officer was processing Newman and a woman, video shows Newman produced a hidden handgun, pointed it at Patrolman P.J. Johnson and pulled the trigger; "The gun did not discharge for reasons that are unclear." A Walmart loss prevention associate identified in court filings as Conrad Piero jumped onto Newman and, with the officer, took him to the floor and detained him.

Newman was indicted by a Stark County grand jury on Feb. 13 and faces a slate of charges listed at arraignment: 1 count of attempted murder; 1 count of felonious assault; 1 count of robbery; 1 count of having weapons under disability; 1 count of carrying concealed weapons; 1 count of aggravated possession of drugs; 1 count of possession of drugs; and 1 count of obstructing official business. Court filings note that "Gun specifications are attached to some of the charges" and several firearm specifications on the indictment carry three-year specification periods.

At the arraignment Magistrate Gretchen Stocker handled the plea, and defense attorney Ty Graham appeared for Newman via video link from the Stark County Jail. The case was assigned to Judge Kristin G. Farmer; a court transcript records, "Sir, your case has been assigned to Judge Farmer. Your pre-trial is March 5th at 10 a.m."

Reports of Newman’s custody and bond differ in public records and court accounts. Municipal-court paperwork shows bond set at $1 million with an order of no contact with the victim. One account states he is being held on a $1 million bond at the Stark County Jail, while another account from arraignment reporting indicates a judge ordered Newman held without bond. The discrepancy remains in the court record pending clarification.

The woman detained with Newman was identified in court files as 23-year-old Katerina Jeffrey of Canton. She pleaded no contest in Canton Municipal Court to misdemeanor theft, was sentenced to 180 days with credit for time served and suspension, and has 22 days remaining; she is also charged with complicity to commit a robbery and was not indicted on a felony in the county grand jury action. Officers recovered 50 blue pills at the scene that were identified as Molly.

Local posts accompanying the circulated video logged public reaction at the time it was captured: one social post showed 56 reactions, 41 comments and 11 shares, and a news video upload listed 154 views and 4 likes. Newman remains in custody as he prepares for the March 5 pretrial in Judge Farmer’s court, where the case will proceed on the indictment and firearm specifications.