Tragedy leads to no camping at Cottonwood, AZ Walmart

Folks talk about overnighting at WM all the time. If sleeping with felons is peaceful, sleep tight.

Well what you can count on it that the family members of those involved will be coming out of the wood work with a lawyer saying what great people they were and file a law suit against Wallmart. Walmart in return will set a policy store wide that will end over night stays... Just my opinion of course.

I'm in the 'camp' of;
I just don't get overnighting in a Walmart parking lot. Ever. For ANY reason. I've never understood people being;
1. That cheap financially
2. That unimaginative that a Walmart parking lot seemed to be their best option
3. That unprepared to have gotten out away from home and even need to improv a camping spot for a night.
4. That unaware of the possibility a Walmart just might not be in the best area of town
5. That unaware of the general clientele of being less than upstanding citizens and actually be able to fall asleep there at 2am.

Man! Walmart??!! Really??
I'd as soon drive until I'm out of town and set up on a frontage road of the highway than to EVER try and get a night's rest at a Walmart.
Plan a little better folks. Open up the old coin purse and pay for a night. (Supporting a legitimate RVing business rather than leaching off a Walmart), and give a moment's thought about who roams Walmart parking lots at 2am while you are blisfully and ignorantly asleep.
Can you just imagine if YOU had chosen THAT Walmart 7 or 8 nights into that 'family's' 9 night stay?

Dog Folks wrote:


I am NOT trying to reduce the blame for this "family," nor make any excuses for them. They are totally responsible.

WalMart allowed the "criminals" to stay on their property for an "extended" time. WalMart provided them a place to park, and a bathroom.

If this scum had been told to move on this may have never happened. They might have too busy looking for another place to live that they would not have had the time to assault an employee, and challenge the police.

I believe that allowing them to stay fostered a "This is MY place, and I will do what I want." Attitude. Similar to some long term tenants in an RV park. A sense of ownership, if you will.

Is WalMart creating an "attractive nuisance?"

If you read this forum "This is MY place, and I will do what I want." Attitude is hardly unique to long term residents. Also an over-nighter is not an attractive nuisance. That is unless you also consider the 250 pound women with yoga pants an attractive nuisance.

Walmart did not foster this criminal behavior anymore then they foster shoplifting because all the stuff on the shelves.

Dog Folks wrote:
Am I the only one that thinks that this particular WalMart shares, at least, some of the blame?

According to RV Newsletter: "Cottonwood WalMart officials have met with local police to "discuss solutions to extended camping" in their lot."

Extending camping? Why was WalMart allowing this in the first place?

Overnight is one thing, "extended camping" is another

Once again, the devil lies in the details. I would venture to say that the suburban probably moved every day or so. Though most people would say that is "extended" camping, it may not be in the eyes of the law. Kind of like the people that move their car a couple of spaces every couple of hours in the two hour parking zone. How many overnights would be allowed under a no extended camping rule? Would one day in and one day out to the Home Depot then back again to Walmart be extended camping? Say you are very strict with the old suburban, should that strict enforcement be extended to the Prevost parked next to them, or does the rule not apply to them? Get too selective you will end up with a big discrimination lawsuit on your hands that you will most likely lose. At the very least, you risk having the truth twisted into extremely bad publicity.
On a much less serious scale (no gunplay involved, hopefully) we face this issue daily. Quiet hours, no campfires, pet rules, no climbing on rocks etc. etc. etc. is tested almost daily. Zero tolerance doesn't work and neither does a laissez faire devil may care attitude. Having and enforcing policies is not anywhere nearly as easy as most posters make it out to be.

Dog Folks wrote:

OkSixpack wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Am I the only one that thinks that this particular WalMart shares, at least, some of the blame?

According to RV Newsletter: "Cottonwood WalMart officials have met with local police to "discuss solutions to extended camping" in their lot."

Extending camping? Why was WalMart allowing this in the first place?

Overnight is one thing, "extended camping" is another

They share none of the blame what-so-ever!!! Period!!! I'm sick of people making excuses for criminals. The criminal is to blame, period. I can see a billfold or a firearm or anything else in a vehicle with the window down, and never would be tempted to steal it. Only a criminal would. And yes, I kpow this wasn't about stealing, but the theory is the same. And did I say, blame the criminal not the business or another innocent person?

I am NOT trying to reduce the blame for this "family," nor make any excuses for them. They are totally responsible.

WalMart allowed the "criminals" to stay on their property for an "extended" time. WalMart provided them a place to park, and a bathroom.

If this scum had been told to move on this may have never happened. They might have too busy looking for another place to live that they would not have had the time to assault an employee, and challenge the police.

I believe that allowing them to stay fostered a "This is MY place, and I will do what I want." Attitude. Similar to some long term tenants in an RV park. A sense of ownership, if you will.

Is WalMart creating an "attractive nuisance?"

I have never had any problem with long term tenants in any RV. park.
Actually very nice people if one pulls their nose down out of the sky and talk with them. These type of things can happen anywhere.
Did I say? Walmart is not a campground.

Next time you are staying there look around not everyone there is there to get a few winks. Many set up camp, it is plain crazy and I want no part of it. I shop at Walmart and have seen RVs set up at 2 in the afternoon.

Pogoil.

Passin' Through wrote:


The real issue is not at all whether Walmart should or should not allow overnight stays.

True, but that is what this thread is about.

Whether those low-lifes were there for a week, overnight, or just an hour doesn't matter in the least. What mattered was the fact that they made the CHOICE to start a fracas. I could not care less that they got their a$$es kicked as a result. But I care very much that police officers and an employee were hurt.

The real issue is not at all whether Walmart should or should not allow overnight stays.

OkSixpack wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Am I the only one that thinks that this particular WalMart shares, at least, some of the blame?

According to RV Newsletter: "Cottonwood WalMart officials have met with local police to "discuss solutions to extended camping" in their lot."

Extending camping? Why was WalMart allowing this in the first place?

Overnight is one thing, "extended camping" is another

They share none of the blame what-so-ever!!! Period!!! I'm sick of people making excuses for criminals. The criminal is to blame, period. I can see a billfold or a firearm or anything else in a vehicle with the window down, and never would be tempted to steal it. Only a criminal would. And yes, I kpow this wasn't about stealing, but the theory is the same. And did I say, blame the criminal not the business or another innocent person?

I am NOT trying to reduce the blame for this "family," nor make any excuses for them. They are totally responsible.

WalMart allowed the "criminals" to stay on their property for an "extended" time. WalMart provided them a place to park, and a bathroom.

If this scum had been told to move on this may have never happened. They might have too busy looking for another place to live that they would not have had the time to assault an employee, and challenge the police.

I believe that allowing them to stay fostered a "This is MY place, and I will do what I want." Attitude. Similar to some long term tenants in an RV park. A sense of ownership, if you will.

Is WalMart creating an "attractive nuisance?"

OkSixpack wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Am I the only one that thinks that this particular WalMart shares, at least, some of the blame?

According to RV Newsletter: "Cottonwood WalMart officials have met with local police to "discuss solutions to extended camping" in their lot."

Extending camping? Why was WalMart allowing this in the first place?

Overnight is one thing, "extended camping" is another

They share none of the blame what-so-ever!!! Period!!! I'm sick of people making excuses for criminals. The criminal is to blame, period. I can see a billfold or a firearm or anything else in a vehicle with the window down, and never would be tempted to steal it. Only a criminal would. And yes, I kpow this wasn't about stealing, but the theory is the same. And did I say, blame the criminal not the business or another innocent person?

Well, yes the criminal is totally at blame for their actions. But how long would it take for you to call the cops if 9 people set up camp in their Suburban in your driveway? Would it take until someone in your house was assaulted? While a bit of an exaggeration, the scenario isn't too far from what actually happened. There is no way these people didn't go unnoticed by shoppers, Wal*Mart management and police until the sh** hit the fan. "Blame"? Maybe not, but it could have been avoided with people actually being aware of their surroundings and giving a crap.