21-year-old Shane Newman of Plain Township faced arraignment in Stark County Court of Common Pleas on Friday, following an indictment on charges including attempted murder of a Canton police officer. According to Cleveland 19, Newman pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stem from a December incident at a Walmart on Atlantic Boulevard NE, where he allegedly attempted to shoot the officer in the head during a shoplifting arrest.
During the arrest, police claim Newman pulled out a handgun within the loss prevention office. The gun failed to fire when Newman tried to shoot the officer, leading a Walmart asset protection associate to swiftly intervene. The incident was captured on body camera footage, which FOX 8 News previously reported. Due to past felony convictions, Newman was prohibited from owning firearms, and upon his arrest, officers recovered 50 blue pills identified as Molly.
The judge ordered Newman to be held without bond, setting his next hearing for March 5th. His alleged accomplice, Katerina Jeffrey, 23, of Canton, was not indicted on a felony charge. Cleveland 19 reported Jeffrey pleaded no contest to misdemeanor theft and was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 22 days remaining after accounting for time served and suspended.
In a detailed sneak peek into the chaotic moments of the arrest, body camera video obtained by News 5 Cleveland shows Newman being partially searched by the officer before tensions escalated. "You got anything on you I need to know about? Why is your hands in your pockets?" asked the officer, to which Newman responded, "Just my phone." The officer then searched Newman before the situation dangerously unraveled, with Newman trying to shoot the officer and being quickly subdued by Walmart personnel and the officer himself.
After the takedown, the officer can be heard discussing the event with colleagues. "Oh, he woulda got me," he remarked, shedding light on the gravity of the situation they had narrowly escaped. Newman, who had a 2023 prison sentence for drug charges, according to News 5 Cleveland, is now once more facing serious charges, with his actions caught on camera serving as a stark reminder of the peril law enforcement officers can face, even in routine assignments like shoplifting calls.
