HOUSTON -- A Houston woman was robbed at knifepoint inside a north Harris County Walmart, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Glenda Jones said she was attacked at the Walmart on Interstate 45 and West Road on Jan. 23.

She said she was at the store just before 6 a.m. to buy groceries so she could make her kids' breakfast. Jones said she almost didn't make it back home.

"I'm inside the store and all of the sudden I'm being robbed," Jones said. "I can't describe what I'm feeling. I'm shocked. I'm seeing my life flash before me. I'm seeing my children."

Jones said the man grabbed her, put her in a chokehold, pulled a knife and demanded her cash as she came from the window treatment section.

"(He said,) 'If you don't give it all to me, I will kill you,'" Jones said. "By then, I started feeling a sharp object coming in my back."

Jones said the man threatened to kill her if she moved and kill her family if she reported the robbery.

She said she was not about to just roll over. She said she followed the man through the aisles and yelled for help.

"I got right behind him and I was going after him," Jones said. "I was not going to let him get away and nothing happen."

However, she said that's exactly what happened. Jones said the robber just strolled out of the store past employees inside and security outside.

She said the manager told her that the security guards cannot get involved with robberies.

"He said even if the security guards had been inside the store, there's nothing that they can do," Jones said. "They are there to protect the store."

Community activist Quanell X is standing behind Jones.

"There is not a product or a piece of merchandise that Walmart can sell in their stores that has more value than a human life," said Quanell X.

Walmart explained its policy and defended its reaction.

"When the customer made us aware, we immediately contacted police, who are the best equipped to respond to this type of situation," spokeswoman Anna Taylor wrote in a statement. "We contacted the customer and her family to express our concern, and we worked with police in their investigation. When responding to a situation like this, we always take into consideration the safety and security of our customers as well as our associates."

Jones said the policy needs to change.

"There's no way that should happen," Jones said.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office is investigating. They said they have requested a copy of the store's surveillance video.