In a developing story from Gainesville, Florida, authorities have apprehended Quinnetta Lashara Quinn, age 38, following an alleged incident involving pepper spray and an attempted theft at a local Walmart. The arrest took place yesterday, with charges stemming from an event last November, where Quinn is accused of using pepper spray against an employee in a bid to escape with unpaid merchandise.

According to a report from the Gainesville Police Department, the situation unfolded on the evening of November 20 at the Walmart located on NW 23rd Street. Around 7:50 p.m., a Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) attempted to intervene as Quinn was reportedly trying to exit the store with a cart brimming with stolen goods. In the ensuing confrontation, Quinn allegedly sprayed the employee three times in the face with pepper spray. Despite a struggle over the cart, Quinn abandoned the merchandise and fled the scene by jumping into a waiting van.

Crucially, the LPO managed to snap a photo of the getaway vehicle, capturing its license plate, which aided in the investigation. Surveillance footage from Walmart provides further context, showing Quinn entering the store at 7:26 p.m. She is seen selecting a variety of items, including 16 pieces of clothing and a loaf of bread, amounting to a total value of $185. The video reportedly captures her bypassing the checkout lanes and heading toward the exit, where the LPO confronted her in the store’s front vestibule.

The footage also reportedly captures the moment Quinn approached the LPO with her hand raised, holding an object that is believed to be the pepper spray used during the altercation. The incident highlights the risks faced by retail employees in the line of duty and underscores the importance of robust security measures in retail environments.

Walmart surveillance video reportedly showed the woman entering the store at 7:26 p.m. and then selecting 16 items of clothing and a loaf of bread valued at $185. The woman pushed the cart past all the registers and tried to leave the store without paying, but the LPO confronted her in the front vestibule of the store.

Surveillance video reportedly showed the woman walking toward the LPO with her hand raised and something in her hand.

The LPO said the woman told her, “You better not come over here… I’m going to spray you” and then sprayed her with pepper spray. The LPO said she tried to remove items from the cart, but the woman overpowered her and took the cart out of the store with a few items in it. However, the van drove away as soon as the woman got in, so she was not able to take the items from the cart; all of the items were recovered.

The detective identified the woman as Quinn using the tag on the van, pictures of her face, and her tattoos. The detective also found a photo of Quinn on Facebook in which she was wearing the same leopard print headband worn by the suspect.

Quinn has been charged with armed robbery (with a weapon other than a firearm) and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon; she is also facing a sworn complaint for burglary with battery, burglary of a vehicle, battery, and grand theft from a November 16 incident. She has seven felony convictions (two violent) and 18 misdemeanor convictions (two violent) and has served three state prison sentences, with her most recent release in 2022. A sworn complaint was also filed against her for a January 2024 incident in which she allegedly threatened four juveniles with a taser at a bus stop, but those charges were later dropped.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered her held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold her without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.