Bond has been set at $50,000 for a Monroe man accused of stabbing a woman while she shopped Friday at the Monroe Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Calling the crime a "random act of violence," Monroe police arrested Herman V. Staten Jr., 51, whose last known address is 321 Cedar St., Monroe, on one count of attempted second-degree murder.

Staten was apprehended just minutes away from the crime scene by Cpl. Sean Reddick of the Monroe police's warrants division, in the parking lot of the nearby Office Depot.

Maj. Don Bartley, chief of investigations, said the stabbing was reported to police by Wal-Mart officials at 1:04 p.m. Friday.

The victim, a 49-year-old Monroe woman, was leaving the cosmetics department and walking toward the toy department when she felt a sensation in her back, Bartley said.

She looked over and saw the suspect and asked him, "What did you just do to me?"

Staten looked at her and then just walked away and eventually out of the store.

The woman followed him for a period of time and got his description. At this time, she felt her back and noticed blood and contacted Wal-Mart employees, Bartley said.

The shopper was taken from the store by American Medical Response. She was sitting upright on a stretcher and was able to give police Staten's description before being whisked to St. Francis Medical Center.

As of press time, police said the victim was in stable condition but did not know the extent of her injury.

A spokesperson for the discount chain released the following statement.

"The safety and security of our customers and associates is always a top concern of Wal-Mart," Jami LaMontagme, Wal-Mart spokesperson, said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the customer and her family."

Bartley said while authorities were tending to the victim, Reddick noticed a man fitting the suspect's description, which helped in his swift capture.

"This lady realized she was stabbed in the back area for no apparent reason," Bartley said. "This is a random act of violence. It could have happened anywhere. It's just unfortunate that it happened at a Monroe business."

Detectives seized the surveillance tape, but the weapon used in the crime has not been located.

Staten was booked into Ouachita Correctional Center. His criminal history includes arrests for aggravated criminal damage to property, battery and battery on a police officer.


(all this happened in the walmart i normally shop at..a few days later...a woman was raped in the bathrooms ...its got my parents so scared...they won't even let me go to monroe by myself anymore...what is the world coming to when someone can do all this on CAMERA!)