Possibly Deaf Athlete Arrested in Stabbing of Walmart Employee

Updated at 6:20 p.m. May 16, 2012

A possibly deaf El Cajon man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of stabbing a Walmart employee at Grossmont Center, authorities said. The employee was struck in the abdomen and arms, suffering minor lacerations.

He was treated at the scene and did not require hospitalization.

Zane Holloway, 18, was booked into County Jail on charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, said La Mesa police. Bail was set at $100,000.

Police said the employee was stabbed as he tried to stop a robbery suspect from leaving the store.

Police Lt. Matt Nicholass said officers had a “hard time communicating” with the suspect. Although he couldn’t confirm whether Holloway was deaf, he said the suspect had some kind of hearing-aid type device in his ear.

“Officers said that he wasn’t entirely listening to their commands,” Nicholass said.

Police are still evaluating the extent of his hearing, he said.

At around 3:45 p.m. police received a call reporting a robbery at the Walmart at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, police said.

Employees said a man attempted to leave the store without paying for merchandise. When the store’s loss prevention agents attempted to stop the man, he reportedly brandished a knife and began swinging it at the employees, police said.

After the attack, the assailant fled on foot and was later apprehended by police at the Grossmont Center Trolley Station.

According to Deaf Digest Sports, a national list of mainstreamed deaf athletes lists Zane Holloway as a track and basketball participant from James Madison High School in the Clairemont Mesa area of San Diego

In the 2008 Union-Tribune Race for Literacy, a 14-year-old Zane Holloway ran 8 kilometers (almost 5 miles) in 52 minutes, 38 seconds as part of the Madison Warhawks team, according to race results.

Madison High’s website says it has 1,500 students and includes deaf education specialists and speech therapist.