Ohio employees injured by criminal attacks

Employee assaulted over trash request (Nov. 25, Garfield-Maple Sun)
A Garfield Heights woman assaulted a bar employee after she told her not to use the dumpster behind Tequila Sunrise, 4830 Turney Road. The worker told police she took the trash out Nov. 17 and saw the woman throwing her garbage in the bin that belongs to the business. She told her she was not allowed to put her refuse in the dumpster and went back inside the bar. She said a few minutes later, the woman came inside and punched her and threw her against the wall. Police issued a warrant for the suspect. She faces an assault charge.

Taco Bell worker robbed, beat up taking out trash (Nov. 25, Nordonia Hills Sun)
A Taco Bell employee was assaulted about 10:50 p.m. Nov. 6 while taking out the trash behind the store, 557 E. Aurora Road. The victim told police he was attacked by three men dressed in black and wearing ski masks. They beat up the worker and stole his wallet. He said he had about $10. The robbers punched him in the face and beat him to the ground. He was taken to Sagamore Medical Center for treatment.

Shoplifting suspect attacks store manager (Nov. 25, Cincinnati Enquirer)
A manager of the Kroger store in this western Hamilton County community was hit twice Wednesday by the car of a driver who was being pursued for shoplifting, authorities said. The manager, Larry Noschang, 52, was not hurt. A woman entered the store at 4001 Ohio 128 about 1 p.m. and filled a garbage can with about $200 worth of items, including meat, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. When the manager confronted her as she left the store, she dropped the can and hopped into a blue 1989 Pontiac Grand Am. She "tapped" the manager twice with the car as she drove off and he tried to write down her license plate number, said Steve Barnett, sheriff's spokesman.

Commentary:
When Ohio employers prohibit their workers from protecting themselves while traveling to and from work, when businesses disarm law-abiding customers in hopes of deterring violent criminals, and when a company sues to prevent employees from protecting themselves even when traveling to and from work, is it any wonder that the FBI says workplace killings are the fastest-growing homicide trend in the country?

Not only can Ohio employers and businesses prohibit guns on inside their buildings (the same prohibition could be made to apply to guns in company-owned or leased cars), they can also tell you what you may (not) keep in your car while in their parking lot. This simply should not be.

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