A Walmart employee was stabbed by a woman attempting to shoplift items from the Cartersville store, Bartow County police said Sunday. But the woman was quickly taken into custody, thanks to two off-duty Acworth police officers.
Johnny "Wayne" Thacker, 43, of Cartersville, identified himself as a store employee to the woman, Katrena Elaine Evans, and tried to stop her on her way out of the store Saturday afternoon, according a Bartow County Sheriff's Office incident report.
Evans, 32, then allegedly stabbed Thacker in the abdomen before running outside and across the parking lot, where she got into the backseat of silver vehicle driven by a man she didn't know, police said. That's when two off-duty officers detained the suspect until sheriff's deputies arrived.
Evans was taken into custody and the items allegedly stolen from Walmart were returned, police said.
Evans, who is homeless, was arrested and booked into the Bartow County jail. She faces aggravated assault, obstruction and shoplifting charges in connection with the incident. Evans remained in jail Monday and was being held on $10,500 bond.
Thacker was treated at Cartersville Medical Center and released, police said.
The stabbing incident is not related to a recent string of crimes at the same store involving syringes being left in clothing items.
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