Walmart Shopper Wrestles Deer To Floor In Minnesota

WADENA, MN — A man from Deer Creek, Minnesota, sprung into action and wrestled a — just wait for it — deer to the ground Tuesday after it wandered into a Walmart store in nearby Wadena. Now a social media celebrity, Tom Grasswick held the young buck in a high school wrestling medal-worthy headlock until he calmed down and could be leashed and led from the store.

The errant deer entered the Walmart in Wadena, located about 160 miles northwest of Minneapolis, through the garden section about 7:30 p.m., apparently intent on nibbling on hostas, lilies and the same trees and shrubs they prefer in the wild. It was when the buck entered the store's slick-floored merchandise section that the pandemonium began.

According to media reports, the hapless animal knocked over displays as he tried to navigate the slick floor. A woman screamed. That’s when Grasswick saw his chance, acting on instinct, he said, and customer Stephanie Koljonen saw her opportunity to snap a photo that would light up the internet.

“I figured I was bigger than the deer, so I’d win that wrestling match,” Grasswick told WDAY-TV. Afterward, he was plenty sore. “I felt like I got slugged up the side of the head,” he said, estimating the young buck probably weighed about 100 pounds. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Minneapolis Patch, click here to find your local Minnesota Patch. Also, if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

According to the WBAY report, Walmart managers consulted with local law enforcement and have made some modifications to the entry to the garden store.

Neither the deer nor the rescuers were hurt in the commotion, police said.

Photo by Stephanie Koljonen, used with permission