Crime & Safety

Man Stuck by Syringe Needle Found in Sealed Bag from Walmart

Bartow County Sheriff's Office authorities are investigating after an Adairsville man was stuck with a syringe that was in a bag of bird seed he purchased at the Cartersville Walmart.

An Adairsville man was stuck with a syringe he said was in a sealed bag he purchased at the Walmart in Cartersville.

He notified Bartow County Sheriff's Office authorities Wednesday morning, soon after opening the bag of bird seed at his Pleasant Valley Road home, according to the incident report, attached.

The victim, 52, said he opened the bag and was stuck by a sharp object, which he later determined was a needle from a syringe. Deputies collected it as evidence, and investigators are looking into the incident.

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It's different than the rash of syringe finds at the Cartersville Walmart more than a year ago, said Sgt. Jonathan Rogers. A total of 15 syringes of differing types were found in merchandise throughout a two-month period and at least two people were pricked as a result.

The difference, Rogers said, is the bag of bird seed was sealed, according to the victim.

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"We're getting Walmart video of the bag and we'll try to figure out where it came from and when it came in, but I don’t think it would have anything to with our Walmart, since [the bag] was sealed."

Authorities never made an arrest and had few clues in the 2011 rash of syringe finds, and even theorized some of the later incidents may have been copycats.

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Take a look back at our coverage of previous Walmart incidents involving syringes:

  • Walmart Syringes Differ in Type
  • Walmart Syringe Total Reaches 15
  • Syringe Evidence Yields No Clues
  • Three More Needles Found at Walmart
  • Walmart Needle Victim Speaks Out
  • 4 Needles Found in Walmart Clothing
  • Shoppers Find Syringes at Walmart


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