Miami felon allegedly hid gun in Walmart trash can during shoplifting

MIAMI DADE COUNTY, Florida. – A Miami man was arrested Monday at a Walmart on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, tampering with evidence and openly carrying a weapon, authorities said.

According to his police report, 24-year-old Kenneth Cross was arrested by Miami-Dade police after they were dispatched to a Walmart at 21151 S. Dixie Highway in response to a multiple-person theft.

In the call received by police, one of the people was described as wearing a white and yellow long-sleeved shirt and gray pants and possibly armed with a weapon, and Cross fit that description, authorities said.

According to the report, Cross was already in custody when additional police arrived.

The officer who first arrived at the scene said a security guard pointed at Cross and said he had a gun under his armpit, the report said.

The officer said when Cross saw him, he quickly went to the bathroom.

The officer followed him and heard a “metallic noise” coming from inside the toilet, the report said.

According to the report, Cross was the only person in the bathroom at the time and was taken into custody by police without incident.

According to the police report, the officer found a Springfield XD Black .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on the bottom of the trash can.

According to the report, a Walmart employee had previously seen Cross take the gun from another shoplifter’s waistband and shove it under his armpit.

According to police, surveillance footage from Walmart confirmed that Cross took the gun from another person’s waistband and tucked it under his armpit before walking back into the store.

A record check revealed that Cross was a convicted felon in Florida, authorities said. Cross was arrested and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Since Tuesday afternoon, Cross has been held at TGK on $2,650 bail.