Ex-employee threatened former co-workers if he didn't get final paycheck, police say

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police said a former Kroger grocery story employee in Alpharetta, Georgia, is accused of calling the store and threatening to kill everyone inside if he didn’t receive his final paycheck.

Demarious Merkerson allegedly complained that his last paycheck didn’t come quickly enough after he lost his job.

“The ex-employee didn’t like that,” Alpharetta Police Department spokesman Howard Miller said. “(He) continued to call and harass the people that worked there to the point he was actually threatening to kill everybody if he didn’t receive his money.”

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Miller said that officers responded to the location twice because of the calls, and after confirming the threats, they arrested Merkerson on Oct. 3 on charges of felony terroristic threats.

“The problem is we don’t know if they’re bluffing,” Miller said. “The person could be desperate and very serious and show up to the location with a weapon or something else and start going on his word to start harming or killing people.”

“The safety of our employees and our customers is our top priority and we appreciate the Alpharetta Police Department’s prompt assistance,” a Kroger spokesman said in a statement. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further at this time.”

Merkerson remains in the Fulton County Jail without bond, according to jail records.

Cox Media Group