The story of a now-former Kroger store manager being fired for stepping in to protect an elderly co-worker from masked shoplifters is making the rounds again.
Michael Self, who ran the DeKalb County, Georgia store for 14 years, is seen in a video of the May 2025 incident lying in the parking lot — Self said one of the crooks hit him in the head when he ran out. The video shows masked suspects swinging a bag of paper towels at the elderly employee before shoving her.
“As I got away from that door, someone hit me in the back of the head with something,” Self told WSB-TV, insisting he was not going out to confront the suspects.
🚨#BREAKING: Outrage is erupting in Georgia after a White Kroger manager who ran into the parking lot to protect an ELDERLY co-worker from MASKED Black shoplifters was BEATEN, left with a CONCUSSION and STAPLES…
…and then FIRED by Kroger 3 DAYS LATER for helping her!!!… pic.twitter.com/6xRwUsW0mi
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) September 30, 2026
“I literally just wanted to draw the tension away from my associates, get them to stop and everybody just be done,” Self said.
Self said Kroger fired him three days later for violating its shoplifting policy, and the termination letter accused him of starting the fight.
“I didn’t even get to talk to the people that decided to fire me,” the father of three said.
No suspects were apprehended, and the case is reportedly still open.
Many retail companies have policies requiring employees not to intervene with shoplifters — that, and soft-on-crime prosecutors, may help explain why shoplifting is at a crisis level in some areas.
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:
We need more people like him. Kroger should be ashamed of themselves.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) September 30, 2026
So @kroger rather an elderly employee get battered than have a manager try and protect her? Then blame the situation on the manager!! Why do people continue to shop there, I think everyone needs to find alternative shopping for their groceries.
— Laurie (@EllSimonds) September 30, 2026
Losing your career to a protected class of uncivilized criminals is not what all our fallen brave veterans sacrificed their lives for wtf! 😡
— SnowflakeSlayer (@SnowflakeSlayr1) September 30, 2026
Looks like the people who approved the firing still works there!! Tim Wassa is the guy (CPO)
Grok is so useful. pic.twitter.com/JLkR8k5MdE
— pyBY (@pyBYpy) September 30, 2026
If you want to vote with your wallet, remember that Kroger also owns:
• Ralphs
• Fred Meyer
• Harris Teeter
• King Soopers
• Fry’s Food and Drug
• Smith’s Food and Drug
• QFC (Quality Food Centers)
• Food 4 Less
• Foods Co.
• Dillons
• City Market
•…— Deplorathal (@Deplorathal) September 30, 2026
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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