Academy store manager fired - stopped gun thief

[Armybrat 40940]

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/07/11/academy-sports-manager-fired-after-stopping-gun-theft-suspect/772900002/

The manager of Tallahassee’s Academy Sports was fired Tuesday after tackling a suspect accused of stealing a handgun late last month. The suspect also allegedly threatened to shoot people.

Dean Crouch, 32, was the store manager who stopped Jason White from leaving the Mahan Drive store with a .40-caliber pistol from the firearms counter on June 29.

“Academy has decided to, instead of treating him like the hero he is, they terminated his employment effective immediately because he put his hands on Mr. White,” Crouch's attorney Ryan Hobbs said.

Just hours before he was taken into custody, White stole two handguns from Cash America Pawn on South Adams Street, according to Tallahassee Police.

White asked to look at the handgun at the firearms counter. He was handed the gun, then ran toward the front door. 

Crouch, who court records say observed the transaction at the counter, and another employee tackled and subdued White at the exit doors and recovered the gun, a stolen backpack, five boxes of ammunition and two magazines for the Glock. 

UPDATE: Fired Academy Sports manager receiving nationwide support, job offer

Jason White (Photo: Leon County Sheriff's Office)

White was taken into the store’s office while police were en route.

It was there that he admitted to stealing the gun and threatened to shoot people with it. Court records indicate those threats, but do not mention threats to kill police officers as Crouch’s attorney claims.

White, according to court records, said he and his family were being threatened by an unknown person and he wanted the gun to “kill him."

“He repeatedly said ‘I stole and I admit to it’ and ‘I will steal again when I get out of jail,’” officers wrote in their report.

Hobbs said his client is considering a lawsuit for wrongful termination. The way he sees it, Crouch may have saved lives by stopping White.

“This is not something that happens for Mr. Crouch in his everyday life,” Hobbs said. “I think he was thinking there is a man running out of the store with a gun in his hand with his coworkers following from the firearm area screaming ‘Stop that man.’ Something had to be done and he was the one that was going to do it.”

Academy Sports spokeswoman Elise Hasbrook said she could not comment on specific personnel matters or policies.  

However, Crouch’s actions and his termination were handled in accordance with the Texas-based company’s policies.

“While the incident ended without injury, actions inconsistent with corporate policies were taken,” she said. “We addressed the matter with the local store and individuals involved.”

Crouch worked at the store for more than two years and is married with a family and has no way to support them.

Hobbs said maybe the corporate policy should be revisited.

“My instincts tell me they are concerned more about people like Mr. White suing them for being stopped in the course of a theft than they are about rewarding or acknowledging in a positive manner that Mr. Crouch may have saved lives.”

Edited July 13, 2018 by Armybrat

[RDCanecutter 26481]

I once planned a spring break bicycle trip through Vermont and Quebec that morphed into a three-day drunk in Tallahassee, so this hits close to home.

[Armybrat 40940]

A man in South Dakota offered to send money for Dean Crouch and his family in Tallahassee. An Alaska-based gun store chain offered a management position. Heck, even local eat and drinkery Madison Social offered to let the 32-year-old pick up a few shifts to cover the bills.

Crouch was fired Tuesday from his job as a manager of the Academy Sports on Mahan Drive after tackling and subduing Jason White, who was fleeing the store with what police say was a stolen .40-caliber handgun, ammo and other items picked up of the shelves. 

An Academy Sports spokeswoman said he was fired in accordance with corporate policy, but she declined to detail the policy.

That policy has rankled people across the country who have come out in support of Crouch and condemnation of Academy. Some have even called for a boycott of the Texas-based sporting goods store.

“It is such a tragic and horrific situation he would lose his job for doing the right thing,” wrote Howard Scow of Sturgis, South Dakota, in an email to the Tallahassee Democrat. “Shame on Academy Sporting Goods!

Madison Social reached out on Twitter trying to locate Crouch to offer him a few shifts.

“If anyone knows Dean Crouch – the Academy sports manager that was fired after tackling a guy who stole a gun and threatened to shoot people – have him message us,” the College Town bar wrote. “Happy to try and get him some shifts to help him support his family in the transition.”

Crouch’s Tallahassee attorney Ryan Hobbs said his client has had job offers from around the country and is interviewing at the Tallahassee Bass Pro Shops, which sits just a block east of his former place of employment.

A GoFund Me page seeking $10,000 to “save Dean Crouch’s home” has been established in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, after the story was picked up by Fox News Wednesday.

“There are opportunities being presented to him and he is taking a close look at each and every one of them,” Hobbs said.

Meanwhile, White posted $5,000 bail and was released from the Leon County jail on July 6. He faces three counts of grand theft of a firearm after being connected to the theft of two other guns from a pawn shop just hours before he entered Academy Sports.

White admitted to stealing the gun and threatened to shoot people with it, according to court records. Those documents indicate those threats but do not mention threats to kill police officers as Crouch’s attorney claims.

White, according to court records, said he and his family were being threatened by an unknown person and he wanted the gun to “kill him."

“He repeatedly said ‘I stole and I admit to it’ and ‘I will steal again when I get out of jail,’” officers wrote in their report.

Many have said Crouch did the right thing in the face a company policy that needs to be reviewed. The expressions of support mean a lot to the Crouches, his attorney said.

 “He and his family appreciate the support they’re receiving,” Hobbs said. “Not just from the local community but from around the country acknowledging him as the hero that we believe he is.”

[Yarbr 123]

I feel rankled right now.

[TwiceHorn 31622]

Is Academy going to go on record with what exactly is this policy violated by Mr. Crouch?

[South Austin 52638]

I shop at Dick’s anyway. #nohomo

[Deej 76983]

Every Academy I've been in has so much shit everywhere, I have a difficult time believing anyone could run out of the store.

[Sbbruin 21900]

7 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I shop at Dick’s anyway. #nohomo

Don't think your hashtag absolves you, amigo.

[XYZ 2154]

Crouch should sue Academy for millions.

[phdhorn 6224]

I just bought three tubes at Dick's. #nohomometoo

[Tailleur17 361]

12 minutes ago, XYZ said:

Crouch should sue Academy for millions.

Americuh 

[South Austin 52638]

36 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

Don't think your hashtag absolves you, amigo.

Look, I think the staff at Dick’s is real solid. That doesn’t make me gay . . . does it?

[Sbbruin 21900]

[Chuychanga 133]

Herman should offer the guy. Historically we’ve never been able to stop a Jason White. 

[Huckleberry 33120]

Is Academy going to go on record with what exactly is this policy violated by Mr. Crouch?

Many if not most large retailers have a policy in place where employees should not stop an armed robbery for both employee safety as well as workers comp insurance policy reasons. I'm willing to bet that if they hadn't terminated the manager then their insurance could have been terminated.

[elfenix 34344]

3 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

I once planned a spring break bicycle trip through Vermont and Quebec that morphed into a three-day drunk in Tallahassee, so this hits close to home.

you're the best raconteur on surly

[Thetexashammer 1062]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Look, I think the staff at Dick’s is real solid. That doesn’t make me gay . . . does it?

Well no, but it does mean that you enjoy cock in your ass.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Is Academy going to go on record with what exactly is this policy violated by Mr. Crouch?

Probably not permitted to engage people with guns. HR types can get really nonsensical when applying their rules. They probably weren’t thinking about the terrible PR, shockingly, but instead thought something ridiculous like “we don’t want there to be a shootout at the next theft event so let’s make an example.”

[cmontexas 3283]

When I used to work in retail over a decade ago, we werent allowed to physically engage anyone we observed stealing. Because insurance didn't want to pay hospital bills

[TwiceHorn 31622]

2 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Is Academy going to go on record with what exactly is this policy violated by Mr. Crouch?

Many if not most large retailers have a policy in place where employees should not stop an armed robbery for both employee safety as well as workers comp insurance policy reasons. I'm willing to bet that if they hadn't terminated the manager then their insurance could have been terminated.

 

12 minutes ago, Rex Kramer said:

Probably not permitted to engage people with guns. HR types can get really nonsensical when applying their rules. They probably weren’t thinking about the terrible PR, shockingly, but instead thought something ridiculous like “we don’t want there to be a shootout at the next theft event so let’s make an example.”

Yeah, I figured something of that nature, but you might think they'd try to spin it a little bit.

[cmontexas 3283]

Bet that manager had also spent at least an hour having that hammered into his head in training by corporate, but he decided to do it anyway

Edited July 14, 2018 by cmontexas

[RPM 26368]

2 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Don't think your hashtag absolves you, amigo.

[Huckleberry 33120]

Yeah, I figured something of that nature, but you might think they'd try to spin it a little bit.

Why would you need to spin it? Is it a bad thing to avoid losing your insurance and by doing so avoid having to lay people off due to increased costs?

[cmontexas 3283]

It does bring up the issue of whether guns should be sold at places that cannot provide reasonable security for them

[woohorn 1131]

Took balls to openly steal from pawn shops and Academy. Both probably have a high percentage of staff/customers who are carrying.

[T-shirt Sip 2109]

2 hours ago, South Austin said:

Look, I think the staff at Dick’s is real solid. That doesn’t make me gay . . . does it?

Probably not but that cock in your mouth does. 

[Brothahorn 10087]

Now see this is when profiling would have came in handy.

[Gil Bang 26058]

9 minutes ago, woohorn said:

Took balls to openly steal from pawn shops and Academy. Both probably have a high percentage of staff/customers who are carrying.

Even in CA, pawn shop guys are often armed.  Also, I recently did a pawn-shop shopping trip looking for a laser level.  I went in 3 and all had door  buzzers.  You had to be buzzed in and out. 

[Bullneck 19232]

53 minutes ago, Rex Kramer said:

Probably not permitted to engage people with guns. HR types can get really nonsensical when applying their rules. They probably weren’t thinking about the terrible PR, shockingly, but instead thought something ridiculous like “we don’t want there to be a shootout at the next theft event so let’s make an example.”

That actually seems like a good idea. Don't you agree?

Also:  Jason White.  

Edited July 14, 2018 by Bullneck

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

That actually seems like a good idea. Don't you agree?

Also:  Jason White.  

I don’t know the circumstances. In the video, was the guy running right at him?  Was the gun loaded and did the employees in the firearms area shout “it’s not loaded!”?  If so, he shouldn’t have been let go despite the possible policy. 

I don’t have a problem with them letting him go. They can do what they want without anyone’s input. We don’t know if this manager was on probation for whatever reason. On the surface the decision appears dumb. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21981]

Nice to know I can just go to academy and walk out with anything I want.

[woohorn 1131]

I get the "armed" robbery policy, but this guy was just a shoplifter AFAIK.

Shoplifters are detained, taken to a back office, and searched all of the time. A friend told me that they have seen videos...

[Gil Bang 26058]

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

4 hours ago, woohorn said:

Took balls to openly steal from pawn shops and Academy. Both probably have a high percentage of staff/customers who are carrying.

Someone running out of the store is not threatening a CCL holder’s life.  The fact that CCL holders commit a minuscule number of crimes indicates that we have better judgement than to shoot shoplifters fleeing the store. 

[woohorn 1131]

Someone running out of the store is not threatening a CCL holder’s life.  The fact that CCL holders commit a minuscule number of crimes indicates that we have better judgement than to shoot shoplifters fleeing the store. 

All it takes is one billy bad-ass/do-gooder to step into his path or block his car to get the required confrontation.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

I guess someday it will happen. 

[Armybrat 40940]

As suggested elsewhere:

The retail gun stores should attach a steel cable to firearms on display, just like the dealers do at gun shows. That would prevent incidents like this one.
Customers can still handle the firearms but virtually eliminate the possibility of running off with it from the store.

Insurance companies could demand this - and command higher premium rates if the gun retailer doesn't comply.

[TwiceHorn 31622]

18 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

18 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Yeah, I figured something of that nature, but you might think they'd try to spin it a little bit.

Why would you need to spin it? Is it a bad thing to avoid losing your insurance and by doing so avoid having to lay people off due to increased costs?

To the public.   "Academy employees are rigorously trained, for the protection customers and other employees, not to engage in physical altercations.  Unfortunately, Mr Crouch violated this policy and we were forced to terminate his employment."  Or something to that effect.

[Armybrat 40940]

Read this afternoon that Crouch was rehired - corporate management reviewed & reconsidered their hasty termination of this manager, but in reality they were afraid of a boycott backlash. (like Dick's/Field & Stream recently experienced).

Good for Mr. Crouch & his family, but I'd still look for employment elsewhere (Bass Pro invited him to apply).

Edited July 15, 2018 by Armybrat

[RDCanecutter 26481]

11 hours ago, Armybrat said:

As suggested elsewhere:

The retail gun stores should attach a steel cable to firearms on display, just like the dealers do at gun shows.

How about a steel cable that whips up across the door to send the thief sprawling? Yes, it might occasionally clothesline a Rascal scooter rider, but freedom isn't free.

[BurntOrangeCrush 1026]

If that is Academy's HR rule, they should consider hiring UT's 2017 interior offensive linemen as they tend to let people run past them with very little physical engagement.

 

 

[High Plains Drifter 11054]

 

On 7/13/2018 at 8:22 PM, cmontexas said:

Bet that manager had also spent at least an hour having that hammered into his head in training by corporate, but he decided to do it anyway

 

Trainer: You don't stop robbers.

Trainee: Why not?

Trainer: Because we'll fire your ass if you do.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

2 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

How about a steel cable that whips up across the door to send the thief sprawling? Yes, it might occasionally decapitate a Rascal scooter rider, but freedom isn't free.

We need a “That’s just wrong” thread. Would watch security cam footage. 

[Chuckie Finster 22758]

Many if not most large retailers have a policy in place where employees should not stop an armed robbery for both employee safety as well as workers comp insurance policy reasons. I'm willing to bet that if they hadn't terminated the manager then their insurance could have been terminated.

As someone who was a cashier at Academy in high school, can confirm. And the robber doesn’t even have to be armed, we were instructed to not engage regardless.

[Guest]

Pretty much every corporate owned retailer has this policy.  In the end, it's only merchandise, and it's not worth the employee getting hurt or worse over it.

Many retailers in H-town area have 3rd party security who are packing.  I do not see them at Academy though.( obviously.)

I understand the policy from a liability stand point, both for the thief...um...customer and the employees, but sometimes reason has to enter the equation.

There are some bold ass people these days who are robbing these stores blind. It's hard to fight that impulse to stomp a mudhole in their ass...um...I mean retrieve your shit from them.

Edited July 15, 2018 by slorch

[Armybrat 40940]

Well, we could take The Baird's advice.

[clapclapclap 9000]

^^^ "Loaf around all day and let the Mrs. make the bread."

[CooterBrown 18034]

2 hours ago, slorch said:

In the end, it's only merchandise, and it's not worth the employee getting hurt or worse over it.

 

Goddamnit. You just triggered the surly gun mafia.

They'll soon show up telling us how guns are more important than their children and according to white blue eyed jesus, the only path to salvation.

[woohorn 1131]

Ok, this wasn't an armed robbery. It was shoplifting. I understand that businesses don't want employees/customers engaging and I understand. That is what loss prevention employees are for, but-doesn't Academy have someone at the front for that purpose? Is the Academy bag checker really just a regular employee?

Read that a Costco recently had armed thugs run in and smash and grab from the jewelry case in front. Think robbers got away clean. I wonder if thieves are turning the threat of violence up a notch or if retail security has slacked off.

[bmbmd 1027]

On 7/15/2018 at 8:42 AM, clapclapclap said:

^^^ "Loaf around all day and let the Mrs. make the bread."

Beautiful.  Now I want a sandwich.