Walmart security accused of choking special needs man outside Michigan store

Bystander Video Shows Restraint of Levi as Witnesses Say He Was Walking Away

Walmart security is facing backlash after a bystander video surfaced showing employees restraining a young Black man with special needs outside a Michigan store. The clip, shared on X by @LongTimeHistory, has gained over 115,000 views and sparked outrage over the use of force.

The man is identified in circulating accounts as Levi. He is on the ground outside the Walmart Supercenter in Big Rapids. Also, he can be heard crying, “Leave me alone!” and “They’re choking me!” A witness tells security that Levi is special needs and was walking away when they followed and confronted him. No official statement from Walmart or local authorities has been released.

A Distressed Voice, a Bystander’s Intervention

When the video begins, Levi is already on the ground, a larger individual in a gray striped polo and plaid shorts bent over him. The young man’s cries are loud. First, he yells for them to leave him alone. After that, he says they are choking him. His voice is distressed, and he appears to be in physical pain.

Anitra Raspberry, the woman filming, and another witness intervene. One tells security that Levi has special needs and was walking away when they followed and antagonized him. The witness asserts that security knew or should have known of Levi’s condition and escalated by pursuing and restraining him after he attempted to leave.

Raspberry later stated she works in a memory care unit and is trained to deal with people who have behavioral, mental, and autistic disabilities. On the scene, she continued filming while challenging the security personnel. She questioned why they used physical force rather than de-escalation or waiting for police.

Hugs for the Woman Who Filmed

As the restraint ends, Levi stands. He speaks directly with Raspberry, who informs him that she recorded the incident. He responds with gratitude, stating “You’re my sweetheart,” and gives her multiple hugs. His tone shifts from distress to relief and affection.

Raspberry continues addressing the employees. She questioned their actions on the grounds that they knew of the special-needs status and still used force. One employee, later visible with a name tag reading “DAN” and “COACH,” stands with hands on hips during the verbal exchange.

Raspberry’s written caption accompanies the video. Her captions provide the full narrative: “Here we go I was having a day with my daughter grocery shopping as we were leaving we heard was LEAVE ME ALONG, LEAVE ME ALONE as we got closer is was a young black special needs boy with his case manager out shopping and was being antagonize by the Walmart security to the point where they grabbed him, threw him on the ground and they both were choking him.”

A Case Manager and a Shopping Trip

The incident occurred at the Walmart Supercenter on Perry Avenue in Big Rapids, Michigan. According to Raspberry’s account, she and her daughter were exiting after grocery shopping when they heard Levi’s cries. The young man was described as a Black individual with special needs who was out shopping accompanied by his case manager.

The case manager’s presence indicates a supported community outing. This is common for individuals receiving services for developmental, intellectual, or related disabilities. No public records have detailed Levi’s precise diagnosis, age, or specific support agency. Circulating material consistently states he was on a chaperoned trip.

The sequence prior to the filmed portion, per Raspberry’s caption, involved events inside the store that led security to follow and confront Levi outside. Secondary reports frame the confrontation in the context of an alleged shoplifting incident. However, this remains unverified by police or Walmart statements.

Who Was the Aggressor?

Raspberry’s account asserts that security antagonized Levi. She claims that he was walking away, and that they then grabbed him, threw him to the ground, and applied what she and others describe as a chokehold. One person was on top, another restraining the neck area.

The caption continues: “No, it wasn’t my business, but how can I turn my head and keep going knowing what they were doing were wrong and you already know yup they tried to play victim when he realized that someone saw what they were doing to him.” The implication is that security shifted to a victim narrative upon being observed.

It concludes: “He was just filled with joy that someone else can tell his story and what Walmart employees were trying to do to him now the whole Walmart out here with their phones, calling the police trying to portray as this young man attacked them!!” Additional hashtags such as “#Mentalhealth Justice for Levi!!!” appear in related postings.

X Users Demand Answers

On X, many users emphasized Levi’s special-needs status. In addition, they discussed the alleged chokehold, the claim that he was walking away, the presence of a case manager, and the assertion that staff later attempted to reverse the narrative. One user wrote: “I hate when ppl act like they can’t tell” someone has special needs. Another stated: “That’s literally a child.”

Accounts such as @SeeRacists restated the chokehold claim and Walmart policy prohibitions on chasing or following off property. That post received over 1,000 likes. @BoneKnightmare framed the scene as bystanders watching a potential “modern day lynching party.” Multiple users tagged @Walmart directly, describing the actions as a “really really bad look” or demanding action.

Some users referenced Michigan’s felony strangulation statute (MCL 750.84). That statute classifies assault by strangulation as a felony punishable by up to 10 years. The statute has become a reference point in discussions of the incident.

A minority of replies questioned the full context. So, they pointed out that not all details are independently verified. However, these comments were outnumbered by expressions of outrage and empathy. The absence of official statements from Walmart or local authorities has left many questions unanswered.

A Felony Charge on the Table

Walmart maintains a longstanding general policy emphasizing a “hands-off” approach to suspected shoplifters. Employees are typically directed not to chase, not to follow beyond certain points, not to engage in physical confrontation, and to observe, document. With that, they are to involve police when necessary. Posts sharing the video explicitly claim the actions violated this policy.

As previously mentioned, Michigan law (MCL 750.84) classifies assault by strangulation or suffocation as a felony punishable by up to 10 years and/or a $5,000 fine. The statute is referenced in posts sharing the video. So, this frames the restraint as potentially criminal.

No official statements from Walmart corporate or the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety had been issued as of the available reporting. The case manager’s role in the incident is not detailed in available footage descriptions. The full internal sequence—what occurred inside the store, any theft allegation, communications with the case manager—remains unresolved.

What This Means for Disability Rights

The incident raises questions about the application of retail loss-prevention policies when the individual involved has identified or apparent special needs. Walmart’s documented hands-off guidelines exist in part to limit liability and physical risk to employees. A physical takedown and alleged neck restraint outside the store, if confirmed as described, would test the boundaries of those guidelines.

For individuals with special needs and their support systems, the event underscores risks associated with community activities such as shopping. Case managers accompany clients precisely to facilitate safe participation. However, an escalation to physical restraint can interrupt that support and create trauma.

The competing portrayals—security as aggressors versus security as victims of an attack—illustrate how video evidence and witness framing shape public narratives before formal investigations conclude. The rapid spread of the video itself demonstrates the capacity of social platforms to elevate local incidents into broader conversations about disability rights, retail security practices, and bystander responsibility.

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