HOUSTON – A heated exchange with a Home Depot employee somehow escalated when a spouse of that employee threatened a customer, who was trying to return an item, with a gun, according to a recently filed lawsuit.
Seeking damages for his mental anguish, Robert Edwards filed suit against Home Depot on Dec. 14 in Harris County District Court.
According to the lawsuit, on Aug. 29 Edwards attempted to return an item at a Home Depot in Katy. While speaking with a customer service employee, he requested to speak to a manager. While waiting, the employee allegedly began arguing with him about returning the item.
Edwards claimed he moved away but the employee approached him and slapped his phone out of his hands, which continued to capture the incident on video.
“After plaintiff retrieved his phone, the employee’s spouse arrived to the scene with a handgun openly displayed on his right hip,” the suit states. “Defendant’s employee’s spouse then began verbally taunting Plaintiff. On his way out of the store the spouse can be seen and heard on video taking the handgun out of the holster and auctioning the slide, which chambered a round into the pistol in a final act of intimidation.”
Edwards alleges Home Depot failed to address the rapidly escalating situation.
He is also suing for exemplary damages.
Houston attorney John Leo represents him.
Case No. 2020-79907