A federal judge in Pennsylvania has ruled that a wrongful death case against Walmart can move forward, after the retail giant was accused of failing to stop one of its own drivers from committing a deadly act of road rage while on duty.
The case stems from a May 2024 shooting on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, where a Walmart truck driver allegedly opened fire on another driver following a roadway dispute. The victim was struck in the head and later died at a hospital. The driver accused of the shooting took his own life shortly after.
The victim’s father filed suit against Walmart, arguing the company failed to properly screen the driver before hiring him and never put policies in place to stop employees from carrying weapons on the job. The lawsuit also claims Walmart ignored warning signs that the driver had a history of aggressive or violent behavior behind the wheel.
Walmart’s attorneys tried to get the case thrown out, arguing the shooting was too extreme and personal to be tied to the driver’s job duties, and that the company couldn’t be blamed since it never gave him the firearm. The judge rejected both arguments, stating that whether the driver was acting on personal motives or within the scope of his job is a question that can’t be settled this early in the case.
The judge also noted that a company can be held responsible for negligent hiring or supervision if it knew, or should have known, that an employee posed a danger — regardless of who supplied the weapon involved.
With the motion to dismiss denied, the lawsuit is now expected to proceed toward further legal proceedings, where questions about Walmart’s hiring practices and internal safety policies are likely to be examined in detail.
Walmart has not issued a public response to the ruling.