As police arrived at a Walmart, they encountered a woman, later identified as Noemi Guzman, holding a knife to a 3-year-old boy in a shopping cart. After Guzman cut the child across his face and refused commands to drop the weapon, officers fatally shot her. The boy’s injuries are non-life-threatening and he is expected to recover. Authorities stated there is no indication Guzman knew the child or his caretaker.
After 45 days in jail, Mahendra Patel, accused of attempted kidnapping at a Georgia Walmart, was granted a $10,000 bond. His attorney presented security footage suggesting Patel was trying to prevent a child from falling, contradicting the mother’s account of an attempted abduction. While prosecutors cited a prior felony conviction and DUI arrest, the judge cited the video evidence and Patel’s community ties in granting bond, stating he did not believe Patel to be a flight risk. Patel was indicted on charges of attempted kidnapping, simple assault, and simple battery following a grand jury hearing.
John Q. Hosedrinker