Walmart locking people in? Legal?

Assuming the building is constructed soundly, it's safer inside than in the parking lot (where all KINDS of crap will be flying around, cars, signs, witches on broomsticks, you know the sort of stuff...), and since WalMart's liability is the same two feet inside the door as it is two feet outside the door, they have every reason to discourage folks from leaving....if challenged, they cannot legally prevent someone from leaving, but they CAN insist that person sign a document relieving WalMart of any liability if a chunk of the roof blows off and severs that individual's head off as it comes crashing down from the sky...

Maybe this will answer some questions about Wal-Mart locking people in there store during a tornado warning

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x360412743/Lawsui...

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The old "rock and a hard spot". If they let you go out and you're injured, they get sued for negligence. If they keep you against your will they get sued for false imprisonment and have to prove a legal justification. The likelihood of an uninjured customer prevailing in the latter case is much smaller, so that's what they'll try to do. But what if it's a false alarm or the tornado kills the person's children who were unattended at home five miles away? Who pays now?

Consider police trying to evacuate houses ahead of some fire or flood: Can they arrest you and remove you from your own property and risk being sued? Sure. Would you rather be sued as a civil servant trying to do his job or watch as some idiot dies because you couldn't convince him of the dangers?

I don't understand how this can cross your mind. Why wouldn't it be legal? One answer mentions a fire hydrant, of course. Can't park a car in front of one either. Don't lock it in the way of anything, but lock it. They don't like people bringing their bikes inside. I did and I was asked to not bring my bike into Wal-Mart any more. Had to prove to them it was my bike before leaving. They actually thought my Orbea was from their bicycle department and I was leaving without paying for it. Go figure.

To the best of my knowledge they cannot detain you. The best they can do is to strongly suggest that you remain in the shelter of the building.

When I worked at Wal Mart, they told us that we weren't even allowed to stand between a shoplifter and the door, let alone try to detain or apprehend them.

It's purely a safety issue. Not a legal one.

Your survival rate will be much higher if you're all couched in one or more "safe areas" within the store--then you would be out in the naked, wide open. (Especially during a twister!)

keeping people out is legal. keeping them in, im not too sure. there would be lawsuits all over that bitc*. its not premitted for a store to keep you held in a position where you don't have freedom to go whenever you please.pretty much holding people captive..

its not legal, but was done for safety reasons.

No, they cannot legally make you stay. They may make you believe you have to stay, but they cannot make you stay.