Skip to main content

Florida Man Arrested for Shooting Thief's Car at Walmart

Florida Man Arrested for Shooting Thief's Car at Walmart

There are always such interesting things happening at Walmart.

Recently at the Walmart in Orange City, Fla. — just outside Daytona Beach — a man named Eddie McKee attempted to leave the store with $200 worth of steaks and ribs without paying for them. When confronted by the Walmart loss prevention officer, he abandoned the shopping cart full of meat and ran out of the store, pushing down a woman on the way out.

Customer Jose Manuel Martinez saw McKee being chased by the employee. Even though Martinez didn't know why McKee was being chased, he decided to help. As McKee jumped in a car and attempted to escape, Martinez drew his legally concealed 9mm and put at least four bullets into the car, not intending to shoot McKee, but rather mark it for the police. Martinez was charged with aggravated assault and shooting into an occupied vehicle.

Check out the video from WOFL-TV in Orlando:


FOX 35 News Orlando

Gee, where to start with this one.

First, while I'm sure we can all appreciate Martinez's enthusiasm for apprehending attempted thieves, apparently he wasn't paying attention when it was time to learn gun safety and has a serious lack of knowledge of what happens when bullets hit vehicles — in short, they can go anywhere and everywhere.


He also apparently hasn't watched a cop show on TV in the last twenty years — and might have a common sense deficit. If he'd been watching Law & Order instead of whatever else he was watching, he would know that warning shots — the equivalent of what he did — are no longer used by law enforcement for a whole host of reasons. Neither law enforcement officers nor private citizens should be drawing their weapons unless their life — or someone else's — is in danger, much less firing multiple shots. Firearms are not paintball guns; they are not designed for "marking" vehicles, and when used as such, only bad things can happen.

Not only wasn't McKee armed or threatening anyone, he was just trying to escape without any stolen goods in his possession. Orange City Police Commander Jason Sampsell, when talking about Martinez, said, "His life was not in immediate danger, so he was not in fear for his life nor was he trying to defend someone else whose life was being threatened. There was no justification for the shooting."




Both men were arrested on site. McKee's bail was set at $1,000, and Martinez' at $7,000. As Martinez admitted he wasn't trying to injure McKee, a good lawyer could probably get the charges reduced to malicious destruction of property and public discharge of a weapon, but the chances of him keeping his CCW are very slim. Cars everywhere are feeling safer.

What do you think? How could this situation have been handled differently?

Current Magazine Cover

Enjoy articles like this?

Subscribe to the magazine.

Get access to everything Guns & Ammo has to offer.
Subscribe to the Magazine

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Videos - News - Industry

Guns & Ammo Magazine: March 2023 Issue

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Rifles

New Stocky's Rifle Stocks for 2023

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Rifles

New for 2023: Christensen Arms Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR)

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Handguns

New for 2023: All-American RIA 5.0 Sporting Pistol

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Suppressors

New for 2023: FN Rush 9Ti Pistol Suppressor

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Handguns

New Big Bore Pistols for 2023: FN 510 Tactical and FN 545 Tactical

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Rifles

New for 2023: FN SCAR 15P Rifle Caliber Pistol

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Handguns

New for 2023: TaurusTX 22 Compact

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Handguns

First Look: Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum Revolver With 10.5-Inch Barrel

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Handguns

New-for-2023 Taurus Judge Executive Grade 410/.45 Colt Revolver

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Handguns

Smith & Wesson Equalizer and the Brand New M&P 5.7 Pistol

Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance.  Facing...
Optics

Acro Distance Challenge

Guns and Ammo Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Guns & Ammo App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now