Shoplifter Adrian Kramer Chops Off Security Guard's Ear

**Whisper** · December 13th, 2011, 02:59 PM

no names yet and the hatchet guy is still on the loose

Longview, Washington: [...]
Longview police Sgt. Doug Kazensky tells The Daily News that the shoplifter pulled a small hatchet out of his waistband Monday afternoon and swung, chopping off nearly the entire ear.

The guard was taken to a Portland hospital for emergency plastic surgery in an attempt to reattach the ear.

The attacker remained at large.

The assault took place just outside the garden center entrance of a Fred Meyer supermarket. Kazensky says two security officers were trying to apprehend the man, who was suspected of taking CDs, bike chains and other small items.

The man apparently brought the hatchet to the store with him.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/sh...-ear-157532&cp

**Whisper** · December 13th, 2011, 03:55 PM

Adrian Jess Kramer

LONGVIEW, Wash. -- An employee was attacked and had his left ear severed Monday by a man wielding a hatchet at the Longview Fred Meyer on Ocean Beach Highway, authorities said.

Longview police identified the suspect Tuesday as Adrian Jess Kramer, 31, who faces accusations of first-degree assault and burglary and third-degree theft. Kramer, pictured above, should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information should call 9-1-1 or Detective Steve Dennis at 360-442-5827

David Morrison, 33, was trying to contact a shoplifting suspect when he was attacked, according to Sgt. John Reeves with the Longview Police Department.

Police said the assault happened after the man left the store, outside the entrance to the garden center. They said the man had several items in a cart he had taken from the store.

Firefighters took Morrison, who is the Director of Security for the store, to St. John's Medical Center. He was later transported to Oregon Health and Science University to have his ear surgically reattached. He was released Tuesday.

"It’s crazy that anything can be that important to cut off an employee’s ear. Whether you were shoplifting or whether you weren’t," said Fred Meyer customer Kyle Powers.

Longview Police have also impounded a vehicle they believe belonged to the suspect as they continue to investigate.
[...]

http://www.kgw.com/news/Longview-Fre...tml?hpt=ju_bn6

**badfish76** · December 13th, 2011, 04:23 PM

I don't know how it works there, but here unless you have $500 or more of merchandise it is a misdemeanor and the WORST you can get is 100 jail days. And that is if the judge is REALLY sick of seeing you in the court room for stealing.

This guy is either totally psycho or really didn't want to be caught! Maybe he was on drugs? Still a very extreme action for a misdemeanor crime.

**cubby** · December 13th, 2011, 04:47 PM

This worst case scenario is the reason that retail employees are told DO NOT approach shoplifting suspects. They might be crazy stupid just like this guy.

I remember a garden center door greeter who just on impulse reached out and put her hand on a guy's shoulder when he went past her with cart loaded down with expensive items and no receipt, he turned and punched her right in the face, broke her glasses nearly broke her nose, two black eyes, she was also nearly fired for making two mistakes, do not attempt to stop them and absolutely do not put your hands on them. My son who was a lower manager at the time ran him down across the parking lot and out behind the store but he did catch him. Stupid coward of a shoplifter didn't give a man as much trouble as he did an older lady.

**Whisper** · December 14th, 2011, 11:42 PM

Arrest in Longview, Wash., ear-hacking attack

LONGVIEW, Wash. —
[...]
Adrian Kramer was arrested Wednesday evening in nearby Kelso. Officers planned to book him into jail for investigation of assault, robbery, burglary and theft.

Detectives got a tip that Kramer was at a south Kelso house. They say he fled on foot but was caught.

In Monday's confrontation outside the garden entrance to the store, store security guards confronted a man suspected of taking CDs, bike chains and other small items. Police say the man pulled a small hatchet out of his waistband, severed a guard's left ear, and escaped.

The Daily News reported the 33-year-old victim had surgery to reattach the ear at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Ore., and was discharged Monday night.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...yndication=rss