Imagine going to a store to do something simple like return an item that broke, but when you get there, another customer is acting so irrationally that you fear for your life.

Would you leave the store, call the police, or take matters into your own hands?

In this story, one customer decides to take action, and his actions probably saved his life.

Let’s read the whole story.

Violence in the returns line.

Here’s a tale from the customer side. I worked retail for many years and know the “big box” system pretty well.

I always have a receipt for my returns, exercise patience with new people, and say thank you to those that help me.

I never thought I would have to resort to violence.

Yesterday was I was wrong.

A customer in line ahead of him was taking awhile.

I am at a very busy home improvment store that has two returns lines. It is Father’s Day and the store is packed.

My return is a snap ring plier set that broke on first use. I was just going to exchange it for the same product. I had my receipt and had waited about 10 minutes in line for my turn.

Three people in front of me was a beligerent gentleman of color. He was returning a sump pump that was not working. It was also covered in what looked to be dried sewage and smelled horrible. The guy did not have a receipt and they called up the plumbing manager for assistance.

This took a good five minutes and the guy was starting to get more and more agitated.

The customer explained the situation.

The manager arrived and got his story.

His sewer line broke and backed up into his basement.

He was using a standard sump pump used for keeping ground water pumped out to pump out raw sewage. This won’t work as it is not designed for that.

The manager explained this and looked at the pump.

They couldn’t let him return something they didn’t even sell.

It was not even one they sold. He didn’t buy it there.

The manager said there was nothing they could do for him except sell him a sewage pump.

The guy didn’t take this well and started screaming profanities and questioning the plumbing manager’s mother’s heritage.

The manager walked away and left the guy there with his horrible smelling pump.

The man with the sump pump didn’t leave.

The next two people get thier returns done and the guy is still there getting madder and muttering something under his breath.

It’s my turn for returns and the cashier is visibly upset and shaking.

The other return person called for a store manager.

As I’m starting my return the guy interrupts and yells, “Witch, get the freaking manager up here before I start hurting people up in here.”

He confronted the man.

He is literally less than two feet from me.

I turned and said hey there is no need for that.

He then said, “Ima startin’ with you” and reached under his shirt.

I snapped and hit him square in the face.

This is great customer teamwork.

He dropped everything and was on the floor.

I got on top of him and pinned his arms down.

Another customer ran over and from behind me sees a gun in his wasteband and grabs it to keep it away from the guy.

The manager arrived and some others had already called 911.

He was determined not to let the guy go.

I stayed on top the guy for a good 20 minutes until the police arrived.

In that time the guy tried everything to get away. He struggled, threatened me, my family, tried kicking out, anything but I kept him pinned.

The police got there and cuffed him and me.

Once witnesses got the police informed of the real story I was let go.

Yikes!

Come to find out this guy was a gang member, with two warrants for two separate murders. He likely would have killed me and a few others with me.

They said he likely wouldn’t be prosecuted for this incident since he has two murder charges already. Happy Father’s Day!

I would say what bad timing to be in the return line behind that guy, but he actually probably saved the lives of people in that store.

If he hadn’t taken action and been strong enough and determined enough to hold the guy down until the police arrived, it could’ve been a much more violent story.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Talk about overreacting!

Seriously, I’m glad he trusted his instincts!

This guy definitely seemed to know how to defend himself.

Here’s praise for what OP did.

But another person had a lot of good questions.

He’s a hero.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.