11/4/09
Boston, Massachusetts
From the October 27, 2009 Boston Globe:
A patient in a psychiatric center near the Massachusetts General Hospital stabbed his doctor this afternoon before being shot dead by an off-duty security guard, police said.
The physician is in stable condition, Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said at a press conference this afternoon as he described a chaotic scene.
A relative said the victim was Dr. Astrid Desrosiers, a Massachusetts General Hospital psychiatrist who worked at the center. Isabellie Desrosiers, Desrosiers' sister-in-law, said she had been told by Desrosiers' sister that Astrid had been shot. Police identified the patient late this afternoon as 37-year-old Jay Carciero of Reading.
The actions of the security guard, who does not work at the hospital, were hailed as "heroic" by Bonnie Michelman, head of security for Massachusetts General Hospital.
Labels: altercation, MA, mental illness, private security
8/13/09
Walker County, Alabama
From the Birmingham News of August 3, 2009
Bingo hall robber shot and killed by security guard in Walker County, Alabama
A Walker County man who authorities say shot up a bingo hall Saturday night during a robbery was shot and killed by a security guard, according to the Walker County sheriff.
William G. Cantrell Jr., 43, was declared dead at the scene after he was shot multiple times by a security guard at It's Your Lucky Day Charity Bingo at 20 Pineywoods Sipsey Road, Walker County Sheriff John Mark Tirey said.
According to Tirey, Cantrell entered through the front door around 11 p.m., fired his shotgun into the ceiling and yelled: "This is a robbery. Everybody get out of here." As he headed toward the cashiers' cages, Cantrell fired more shots at the ceiling, then fired at a cashier's cage and a safe, Tirey said. As two security guards approached, Cantrell turned his gun toward them and one of the guards shot him multiple times, the sheriff said.
Security cameras captured much of the scene, Tirey said. Authorities also interviewed about 40 to 45 witnesses, he said.
"It is a regrettable situation," Tirey said. "We're very fortunate we didn't have a lot of injuries. The potential was there."
Tirey said Cantrell arrived at the bingo hall in a vehicle he had stolen a couple of hours earlier. He robbed a Jasper business of the vehicle around 8:40 p.m., the sheriff said.
Labels: AL, business robbery, private security
Walnut Creek, California
From the Contra Costa Times of August 11, 2009
Would-be Walnut Creek armored truck robber flees after guard pulls gun
A man tried to rob an armored truck security guard Tuesday morning before running away, police said.
The robbery attempt took place as the armored truck was parked near the intersection of South California Boulevard and Botelho Drive. The story was first reported by the blog Claycord.com, which obtained its information from a police radio broadcast.
At 10:30 a.m., the truck was parked as the guard was making a money pick-up at a business, Lt. Tim Barrett said. A man approached the guard and demanded he give him money. Instead, the guard went to pull out a firearm, and the would-be robber got into a white Dodge Caravan and drove away.
He did not appear to be armed, Barrett said. Police did not have a detailed description of him.
Labels: CA, private security, street robbery
7/26/09
Miami, Florida
From the Florida Sun Sentinel of July 25, 2009
Brinks security guard fatally shot a would-be robber in Miami, witnesses say
A Brinks security guard shot and killed a would-be robber who attacked him while he was making a routine stop at a South Miami-Dade health clinic Friday, according to witnesses.
After the 2 p.m. shooting outside the Doris Ison Health Center, 10300 SW 216th St., Miami-Dade police arrested two other suspects after a search of surrounding neighborhoods.
Miami-Dade police have not identified the dead man. Those arrested also were not identified.
"According to investigators, shots were fired when three subjects, armed with firearms, attempted to rob an armored truck crew making a pick up or delivery at the health center located at 10300 SW 216th Street,'' a Miami-Dade police statement said late Friday.
One employee of the health center, who did not want to be identified, told The Miami Herald that the shooting took place after the apparent robber attacked the Brinks security guard. The guard, said the witness, then shot the man outside the health center, which remained under lockdown for hours as police officers swarmed the area in search of the other suspects.
Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS 4 reported that police found the other suspects less than a mile away at the Cutler Creek Town Homes.
They reported that police officers went house to house and then surrounded one home.
Much of the area surrounding the health clinic and the neighborhood near the townhomes was swarming with police officers following the shooting.
La Petite Academy, a day care center on 216th Street in Cutler Bay, was placed on lockdown for hours, with parents not allowed to pick up their children, the station reported.
Labels: FL, private security, street robbery
6/29/09
Arbitus, Maryland
From the Cantonsville Times of June 23, 2009
Guard shoots man during attempted grocery store robbery
An exchange of gunfire between a security guard and an alleged robber at the Mars Super Market on Maiden Choice Lane and Westland Boulevard, in Arbutus, Sunday evening left the alleged robber with several gunshot wounds, according to Baltimore County police.
It also left the store, at the Maiden Choice Shopping Center in the 1000 block of Maiden Choice Lane, without some of its front windows — which were boarded up Monday morning.
Neither the guard nor any customers in the store were injured, police said.
At 6:52 p.m. June 21, Jamison Harvey Johnson, 40, entered the store and “announced the robbery,” said Bill Toohey, a police spokesman.
Johnson then walked to the store’s customer service office, where he demanded and was given an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.
An armed security guard employed by Mars who was inside the store followed Johnson to the store’s entrance and confronted him, police said.
Johnson, whose address is listed as “unknown” in court records, then shot at the guard, Toohey said.
The guard returned fire and Johnson then ran into the parking lot and got into a green Honda Accord, Toohey said.
As the gunman drove away, he again fired on the security guard, who again shot back, Toohey said.
The car was found a short time later at the end of Wilton Farm Drive, in Catonsville.
Police began searching the area, using a helicopter and a K-9 unit.
A man fitting Johnson’s description was spotted walking along Kenwood Avenue, in Catonsville, with several gunshot wounds by an officer involved in the search at about midnight, almost five hours after the gunfire occurred, Toohey said.
The man was caught after a brief foot chase, police said, and taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he received treatment for gunshot wounds.
Johnson was later charged with armed robbery, attempted murder and two handgun violations — one for the possession of a firearm with a felony conviction.
In 1996, Johnson, then living in the 1800 block of West Pratt Street, in Baltimore, was found guilty of robbery with a deadly weapon, according to court records.
Bail has been denied, and Johnson is being held in the Baltimore County Detention Center, in Towson.
Toohey said another man ran from the store during the incident, which “drew the interest of authorities.”
Police are “checking to see if there is any evidence that can link him to what happened,” Toohey said.
Labels: business robbery, MD, private security
6/18/09
Richland County, South Carolina
From WLTX of June 12, 2009
Man Shoots, Kills Robbery Suspect
Richland County deputies are investigating a fatal shooting at an apartment complex.
The incident took place at 12:01 a.m. Friday at the Colonial Villa Apartments on Garners Ferry Road.
According to deputies, a man was sitting in his car doing paperwork at the time of the confrontation. Deputies say he provides security detail for the apartments.
Deputies say a male suspect approached the car demanding the victim's handgun; however, deputies say the victim pulled out that weapon and shot the suspect.
The suspect was taken to the hospital where he later died.
WLTX.com will post further details as they become available.
Labels: private security, SC, street robbery
6/10/09
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
From the Journal-Sentinel of June 3, 2009
Security guard kills would-be robber, police say
A security guard shot two men who were trying to rob a check cashing business on Milwaukee's northwest side Wednesday afternoon, killing one and injuring the other, police said.
Ronald Reed, 24, was shot in the back and collapsed in an alley behind the building at 3906 N. 76th St., where he was pronounced dead, police said.
His cousin, Vidal Mason, 22, turned up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was in critical but stable condition late Wednesday.
The men were identified by family members at the scene.
Reed and Mason were arrested in 2005 for committing an armed robbery together, Assistant Police Chief James Harpole said. Both were convicted of two counts of armed robbery in 2006, according to online court records.
The men were armed with guns when they entered Check Into Cash about 3:40 p.m. and ordered everyone to the floor, including the security guard, according to Harpole and a statement from the Police Department.
One man told the other to shoot the guard, who got up and fired shots at both men, according to the statement.
"He felt that he was going to be shot or that someone else was going to be shot, so he took defensive action," Harpole said.
Reed ran from the store and collapsed in the alley, Harpole said.
Mason also ran from the store and wound up at a hospital.
No one else inside the store was injured, Harpole said. Money taken during the robbery was recovered, said the department's statement.
The security guard, who is in his 20s, was being interviewed by police, Harpole said. The preliminary investigation suggests the guard was properly licensed to carry a gun on the job, he said.
(More)
Labels: business robbery, private security, WI
4/4/09
Houston, Texas
From KTRK of April 3, 2009
Suspect shot by security guard
A suspected car burglar is recovering from a gunshot wound after being confronted by a security guard.
It happened in the parking lot of the Kings Best market on Martin Luther King near Old Spanish Trail. We're told the security guard spotted someone breaking into vehicles.
In the end, the suspect was shot in the leg. That man was taken to a hospital, and the security guard was questioned.
Labels: private security, TX
2/8/09
New Symrna Beach, Florida
From MSNBC of February 8, 2009
Would-Be Robber Shot, Killed In New Smyrna Beach
A would-be robber was shot and killed Saturday morning in New Smyrna Beach as a store owner was opening up his shop.
The robber was shot twice in the chest by a security guard at the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy Saturday at 10:15 a.m.
Police said the masked robber entered the store at 653 N. Dixie Freeway, put a gun to the head of the pharmacist and demanded drugs.
That's when the man with the gun was shot and killed by the security guard.
Neighboring store owners said the Medicine Shoppe had heard rumors lately that they were going to be held up, and as a result had hired the security guard.
"It was kind of chaotic," said neighboring store owner Julie Mokas. "Everyone was peeking out their doors. No one knew what was going on."
According to neighboring shop owners, the security guard is a retired sheriff's deputy who is related to an employee of the Medicine Shoppe. However, police would not confirm that.
"They were tipped off that somebody was gonna rob them, and they had an undercover cop sitting in there," Mokas said.
The shooting is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state attorney's office but police appear to support the guard's actions.
"The security guard did what he had to do, and he protected the pharmacist," said New Smyrna Beach police Sgt. Michael Brouillette.
The pharmacist and one clerk, who were in the store at the time of the hold-up, were not harmed.
The store had been held up twice before. It was robbed in May 2006 and April 2007. Both were armed hold-ups with suspects looking for drugs. Police have not yet released the name of the victim or of the security guard involved in the shooting.
Labels: business robbery, FL, private security
12/22/08
Dallas, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of December 17, 2008
Police ID suspect killed in bank robbery attempt
Police on Wednesday identified the suspect and the security guard who fatally shot him during an attempted bank robbery in south Dallas.
The suspect in the attempted bank robbery Tuesday was 31-year-old Christopher Sebastian Jones.
Jones was fatally shot inside a bank after exchanging gunfire with security guard Matthew Scott Prindle, 36. Jones entered a branch of Chase Bank and shot at Prindle, who was grazed in the upper body but not seriously injured. Prindle returned fire, striking Jones, who died inside the bank.
Members of a police tactical unit entered the bank after seeing a woman hiding under a desk. Officers then found Jones' body.
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, private security, TX
Irvine, Kentucky
From the Lexington Herald-Leader of December 22, 2008
Guard shoots man in store robbery
A security guard shot the alleged would-be robber of a grocery store Sunday night, Irvine police said.
Police would not identify the two men, but Officer Brian Brooks said the wounded man was taken to University of Kentucky Hospital for treatment.
Brooks responded to a call at 7:17 p.m. Sunday at Priceless Foods, 1012 Winchester Road in Irvine. Upon entering, he found a man, armed with a small-caliber revolver, slumped over the cash register. The man, in his 20s, then fell to the floor.
The guard had shot the man with a .357 Magnum, Brooks said.
Labels: business robbery, KY, private security
11/25/08
Hollywood, California
From the LA Times of November 24, 2008
Guard fatally shoots man armed with swords at Scientology building
A security guard at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre in Hollywood on Sunday shot and killed a man wielding two samurai swords, police said.
Police detained the guard for questioning but said that a surveillance tape at the facility backed his claim that he fired his semiautomatic handgun to protect himself and two colleagues.
"The evidence is very clear the security officers were defending their safety," said Deputy Chief Terry S. Hara of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police did not release the name of the guard or the man killed in the shooting, which occurred about noon. An investigator said the man had a history with the church but was not a member now. The tape showed the man arriving at the Celebrity Centre's Bronson Avenue parking lot in a red convertible, getting out of the vehicle and approaching a trio of security guards and waving a sword in each hand, Hara said.
He said the man, who was described as being in his 40s, was "close enough to hurt them" when the guard fired. The man was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Det. Wendi Berndt said the man was involved with the church "a long time ago."
"There was a previous relationship, but it is unclear to what degree," she said.
A teenager who saw the man arrive in the parking lot said he stopped the car abruptly in the driveway and climbed out with a 5-foot sword in his hand and an angry expression on his face.
Tony Marquez, 17, said the man, who was bald and had tattoos on his arms, walked toward the building, then returned to the car to get the other sword.
"I thought it was part of a show," said Marquez, of Ontario. He and his mother entered the building before the shooting began.
Police said the guard worked for a private security company. Detectives cordoned off the Franklin Avenue complex with yellow tape as investigators combed through the man's Toyota Solara. The incident occurred at one of Hollywood's most distinctive landmarks. Originally a luxury hotel, the eight-story building was built in the style of a 17th century French castle with a striking white facade and turrets that loom over the nearby Hollywood Freeway.
The church remade the building into a facility aimed at celebrities 39 years ago. According to a church website, the Celebrity Centre caters to "artists, politicians, leaders of industry, sports figures and anyone with the power and vision to create a better world." The complex includes a restaurant, theater and hotel. Representatives of the church did not return calls.
"I have no information," said a woman who answered the phone at the Celebrity Centre.
The facility is ringed by a fence, and security cameras dot the property's perimeter. Guards on bikes also patrol the area.
"That is one thing about living here, you get free security," said Brant Hoibin, 34, who lives in an apartment adjacent to the Celebrity Centre.
Labels: CA, private security
9/24/08
Kansas City, Missouri
From KCTV of September 24, 2008
Security Guard Shoots Man At Liquor Store
A man was shot by a liquor store security guard on Tuesday night, police said.
Officers said the guard told them a man, who he thought had a gun, was causing problems at the Royal Liquor Store on Southwest Boulevard about 9 p.m.
After telling the man to leave, the guard said the man became violent and during a struggle, the security guard shot him.
The man ran off, and police later found him in an alley about a block away. They did not find a gun.
The man's injuries are considered life-threatening, police said.
Labels: business robbery, MO, private security
8/7/08
Hayward, California
From the San Francisco Chronicle of August 5, 2008
Guard wounds teen after 3 shot at Hayward bar
An armed security guard at a Hayward restaurant and karaoke bar shot a teenager early Sunday after the teen shot three people in the parking lot outside the bar, police said.
Oakland resident Adrian Dantoc, 18, and two other teenage suspects - John Catolos, 19, and Julian Logan, 19, both of Oakland - fled the scene but were caught by police and arrested on four counts of attempted murder, Hayward police said. All three are in custody at the Santa Rita Jail.
The incident happened at about 1:29 a.m. Sunday, when Dantoc and the two other teenagers allegedly confronted the three shooting victims, who were riding bikes through the parking lot of Manila Garden Restaurant on Hesperian Boulevard, police said.
When a fight started, Dantoc allegedly grabbed a gun from a nearby car and shot the three victims multiple times, police said. A security guard who works in the restaurant on weekends went outside when he heard gunshots and allegedly saw Dantoc firing the gun, police said. The guard told Dantoc to drop the gun and Dantoc allegedly fired at him; the guard then shot him in the leg, police said.
Dantoc and the two other suspects then drove to a home on Lester Avenue in Oakland, allegedly throwing away the gun along the way, police said. Residents at the home called 911 to get medical help for Dantoc's injury, and the three suspects were arrested when police arrived. Dantoc was treated at a local hospital.
The victims - ages 41, 23 and 17 - are all expected to survive. The eldest victim was shot in the torso and was admitted to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he is in stable condition, police said. The 17-year-old was shot three times - in the face, hip and hand - but none of the wounds were life-threatening, and he was treated and released from a local hospital.
The 23-year-old victim, who was shot in the arm, was also treated and released.
An investigation found that the security guard, a 45-year-old Hayward man who police did not identify, was justified in shooting Dantoc to protect his own life, police said.
"The round that was fired at the security officer went into the building just 2 feet above his head," said Hayward police Lt. Christine Orrey. "He was certainly justified shooting back."
Labels: assault, CA, private security
Van Nuys, California
From the Los Angles Times of July 26, 2008
Man shot with own gun while trying to rob Van Nuys bank, police say
A would-be bank robber was shot with his own gun this afternoon during a botched heist attempt in Van Nuys, police said.
The gun-toting man walked into a branch of Wells Fargo bank in the 6800 block of Van Nuys Boulevard around 12:30 p.m. and tried to pull off a one-man caper, said Officer Kate Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
A security guard confronted the man and "a struggle ensued," Lopez said. The robber, whose identity has not been released, was shot as the two wrestled for control of the weapon.
No other details of the altercation were available and no bank patrons or employees were injured.
The suspect was transported to a local hospital and his condition is not known. The guard suffered minor injuries that did not require medical attention.
Labels: CA, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, private security
7/25/08
Houston, Texas
From KHOU of July 21, 2008
Bouncer at Sugar's strip club shoots, kills knife-wielding customer
Houston police on Monday were questioning the bouncer of a strip club who claims he was forced to shoot a customer over the weekend.
It happened at the Sugars club off the Gulf Freeway at Dixie Farm Road.
The customer was apparently drunk and angry about being told to leave the establishment.
Witnesses said he got a knife from his car and started slashing tires.
When the bouncer tried to stop him, the customer allegedly lunged at him with the knife.
That’s when the bouncer pulled out his weapon and opened fire.
The man died at the hospital.
Officials said no charges are expected to be filed.
Labels: private security, TX
7/9/08
Salt Lake City, Utah
From July 9, 2008 KSL-TV:
A bullet fired on a Salt Lake City street at lunchtime killed a man. Now we're learning the gun may have been fired in self-defense.The shooting happened during a confrontation between two men near 1400 South and West Temple. Witnesses say 47-year-old Mike James May, a transient in the area, began yelling at people who were sitting outside Mama's Southern Plantation restaurant.
The witnesses say May took a swing at the customers, threatened them and a security guard and then reached inside his jacket or backpack. That's when the security guard pulled out his concealed weapon and fired. That single shot, which hit the May in the torso, was fatal.Mark Cazares, co-owner of Mama's Southern Plantation, believes it's a case of self-defense. "For him [the security guard] to defend himself this way, he had to feel his life was in danger. He, once again, he was a Vietnam vet, so he's had to deal with weapons and things before. I'm sure this was a life-threatening situation to him," he said.
...
Police say the security guard has been very cooperative with them and, as of about a half hour ago, they have decided not to book him. They say they will meet with the district attorney very soon to discuss the case.
Labels: altercation, concealed carry permit, private security, UT
6/14/08
Tuscon, Arizona
From KVBC of June 13, 2008
Security officer shoots, kills local man
Metro police responded to the Sierra Point Apartments located on Sierra Vista Avenue and Cambridge Thursday night, following a report that an individual had been shot.
When police arrived, they found the deceased 34-year-old Roberto Simmon lying on the ground outside of his apartment.
Police say that a security officer responded to a complaint of loud music at Simmon's apartment. According to witnesses, when the security officer knocked on the door, Simmon attacked the officer and tried to wrestle his gun away from him.
Neighbors say it was an uneven match between the two men, and that Simmon was physically much larger than the security guard.
As a result of the struggle, the security officer fired one shot at the man and killed him.
Neighbors say Simmon got along with most people at the Sierra Point apartments where he lived. They say he often hosted community barbecues in the courtyard in front of his home.
Police say charges have yet to be filed and this is an ongoing investigation.
This incident is Las Vegas' 57th homicide to date. This number is slightly lower than last year at this time.
Labels: altercation, AZ, private security
6/5/08
Shreveport, Louisiana
From the Shreveport Times of June 5, 2008
Church security guard shoots man in chest
Members of Mount Canaan Baptist let out of their Wednesday service to find a regular visitor had been shot in the chest by the Shreveport church's security guard.
At some point during the service, the man left the sanctuary and became involved in an altercation with the security guard, Shreveport Police Chief Henry Whitehorn said.
"He frequents different churches. He came here this (Wednesday) evening and was asked to leave because of his demeanor and actions."
Police still are investigating what caused the altercation outside the Alston Street church, Whitehorn said. The man had an object in his jacket he was using "in a threatening way," the police chief said.
Joanne Carter identified the wounded man as her brother Joe "Jake" Morris, 61, a disabled veteran who has been diagnosed schizophrenic.
"He does this holy dance, and they don't like it. Some men or women run around the church, and that's what he does," Carter said. "He goes to an extreme. Deacons have thrown stuff at him before."
Lashonda Nelson, who was in the service, said Morris was not being disruptive.
"Usually, he clowns, but there wasn't no clowning or anything. He was doing good. He talked to the preacher and left."
Nelson said she did not hear a gunshot and the congregation was unaware of what happened until the preacher announced it.
Morris was taken to LSU Hospital in Shreveport for treatment of a wound that was not life-threating, Whitehorn said.
Police are working to determine if the shooting was justifiable.
The guard was upset following the incident, Whitehorn said. "It's bothering him immensely."
Labels: LA, mental illness, private security
5/29/08
Fort Worth, Texas
From WFAA of May 23, 2008
Guard shoots man at FW grocery store
A man suspected of stealing may have been fatally shot outside a Fort Worth grocery store after he was followed to his car.
The incident began after a Sack 'n Save manager became suspicious of a man exiting the store who he believed was carrying stolen merchandise at around 8:25 p.m., authorities said.
The manager followed the man into the store's parking lot in the 3400 block of Altamesa Boulevard and confronted him as he got into a white truck.
As the manager attempted to detain the man, the suspect began to drive off. A security guard, who had walked outside to check on the manager, said the truck drove straight towards him, which was when he fired a shot at the vehicle. The truck fled the scene.
Authorities later discovered a man was admitted with a gunshot wound to the Huguley Hospital in Fort Worth. The man, who police believe may have been the driver of the white truck, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Labels: business burglary, private security, TX
5/7/08
South Bend, Indiana
From WNDU of May 1, 2008
Security guard shoots man at westside convenience store
Police are investigating an early morning shooting by a security guard at a South Bend convenience store.
It happened just after 2:00 Thursday morning at V&K convenience on Lincolnway West just west of downtown.
The security guard asked a man to leave and when he wouldn't—police say a fight broke out and the guard shot the man in the leg.
The injured man was taken to the hospital. His injuries are not life threatening.
Labels: home invasion, private security
5/6/08
Aurora, Colorado
From the Denver Post of May 6, 2008
Would-be robber shot in Aurora
A man shot by a security guard while allegedly attempting to rob a Check into Cash store in Aurora this morning was in grave condition, according to Aurora Detective Bob Friel.
As of 3 p.m., the suspect was still alive and being treated by doctors at a local hospital, the spokesman said.
Friel said Aurora police dispatchers received an alarm from the Check Into Cash shortly after 10 a.m., and officers — who were nearby — arrived at the store within a minute.
Friel said the security guard told officers he had spotted the man in the store holding a handgun and believed there was a robbery in progress.
Friel said the suspect was shot at least once in the body by the security guard.
"We are not sure if the security guard was employed by the business or the shopping center," said Friel. "The security guard has been cooperative" and is currently being interviewed by police at police headquarters.
At the time of the incident, there was a clerk in the store. She was not injured, said the police spokesman.
The store is at 15270 E. Sixth Ave., which is at the intersection of East Sixth Avenue and Chambers Road.
Detectives were at the scene investigating the shooting. Check Into Cash outlets offer "payday advance services."
Labels: business robbery, CO, private security
4/29/08
Houston, Texas
From KHOU of April 24, 2008
Security guard shoots, kills man outside northwest Houston club
A man is dead after an altercation with a gentlemen's club security guard northwest Houston.
The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. on Antoine near Hempstead Road at the Casanova Men's Club.
Witnesses said it started when the security guard refused to let in two men who appeared to have been drinking. When the son tried to fight him, the guard sprayed them with pepper spray.
The father came over to the guard and started to threaten him, witnesses said. Then the father left, but returned with a gun.
The witness said the security guard pulled out his gun and ordered the man to drop his, and when he didn't, the guard fired two shots. Witnesses said he was forced to shoot to protect himself.
The victim died at the scene, and Houston police spent the morning interviewing witnesses. Houston police said the guard will not likely face charges, but the case will be referred to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Labels: private security, TX
4/15/08
Orlando, Florida
From Local6 of April 15, 2008
Guard Shoots Man In Run Over Attempt
A security guard at an apartment complex parking lot shot and injured the driver of a vehicle who attempted to run him over, according to police.
Investigators said a Security Staffing Solutions guard became involved in the dispute with three men at the Lake Weston Pointe Apartments located at 2201 Lake Weston Drive on Monday night.
After the argument escalated, one of the men tried to back over the guard, a police report said.
The guard fired several shots into the vehicle, striking the driver in the arm and back.
The driver was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center. He was expected to recover from the injuries.
The two other men with the driver were detained and questioned by police.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office is investigating the shooting.
Labels: FL, private security
4/2/08
North Miami, Florida
From the March 31, 2008 Miami Herald:
A shooting outside a North Miami-Dade shopping plaza Sunday morning left a security guard wounded, a man dead and another on the run, Miami-Dade police said.
The wild scene played out at around 9 a.m. as early-morning shoppers began arriving at the center anchored by a Winn-Dixie supermarket at Northwest Seventh Avenue and 111th Street.
It's unclear yet what sparked the incident, but it may have been a confrontation between two young men and the guard, and not an attempted robbery.
''There are a lot of customers who did see what happened and we are interviewing them as well,'' said Robert Williams, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Police Department.
An aunt of the dead man said the victim was 19 years old, according to Miami Herald news partner CBS4. She said she did not believe her nephew was involved in a crime.
''I don't know what happened in the parking lot, what went on,'' said Antoinette Cobb, who told the station she was the dead man's aunt. ``I want to know what happened. . . . The police are not giving me any information.''
Witnesses said the security guard appeared to be making his rounds at the center in a golf cart when he was approached by the men.
There was a confrontation that escalated. Investigators said one of the men pulled a gun and shot the guard in the upper chest. The guard returned fire, hitting one of the men, who fell in the parking lot.
The second man took off into a neighborhood just northeast of the shopping center.
The security guard along with the other man were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Hospital, Williams said. The wounded man was declared dead at the hospital. His name has not been released.
SHOT IN TORSO
The security guard, who was shot in the upper torso, was undergoing surgery. He also had not been identified Sunday night.
''Right now we do not have a motive,'' Williams said, adding that homicide investigators are still conducting interviews.
Detectives need to talk to the hospitalized security guard for a clear picture of what sparked the violence.
''We do not know yet if robbery was the motive. We want to make absolutely sure that that was the motive for this so we need to talk to that security guard to get a statement from him,'' Williams said.
Labels: altercation, defender shot, FL, private security
3/29/08
Marion, Florida
From CBS4 of March 29, 2008
Security Guard Fires Shots At Attempted Robber
Shots ring out outside a Miramar Foot Locker when a security guard strikes a would-be robber.
Police said a Marion security guard was having lunch in front of the Foot Locker at 3194 South University Drive Friday afternoon, when he saw a man covering his face with a bandana and taking out a gun.
That's when the guard fired his gun striking the suspect four times, said police.
Investigators said the injured suspect fled in a wafting white Nissan, but was later found in Miami Gardens at 889 NW 214th Street. The suspect was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Detectives are still looking for the Nissan driven and another passenger they believe was in the car.
Labels: FL, private security
3/1/08
Prince George's County, Maryland
From the The Washington Post of March 1, 2008
Armed Man Fatally Shot by Security Guard
A private security guard shot and killed a 26-year-old man at an apartment complex near Glassmanor Elementary School in Oxon Hill yesterday morning, Prince George's County police said.
About 9 a.m., the guard approached two men in the 1000 block of Marcy Avenue, said Cpl. Arvel Lewis, a police spokesman. One of the men produced a handgun, and the guard opened fire, striking him, Lewis said. The other man fled the complex on foot.
The wounded man, later identified as Dominique Emanuel McFadden, of the 800 block of Marcy Avenue, died at a hospital. Police found a gun in his possession, Lewis said.
Lewis said police are looking for the other man, described as black, 18 to 20 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and a baseball cap.
Police have not identified the security guard.
Glassmanor Elementary School was locked down briefly after the shooting, but it had reopened by midday.
Lewis said it was unclear what caused the confrontation or whether the two men shot at the security guard. Lewis said that it appears that the security guard's action was justifiable but that an investigation of the shooting had to be completed.
"It appears that he was doing his job, which is to check on people within the apartment complex," Lewis said. McFadden "pulled a gun on the guard. . . . You've got to defend yourself, definitely."
Labels: MD, private security
2/22/08
Castle Hayne, North Carolina
From the February 21, 2008 North Carolina Star-News:
About 8:55 p.m. Tuesday, an Inter-Pol guard spotted two men scaling a fence at a business with a history of break-ins, Guarascio said. He declined to name the business, citing confidentiality. But an official with county dispatch said Inter-Pol officers said they were at a business in the 300 block of Chesterfield Road. Guarascio said that address is near his client's business, but isn't where the incident occurred.
Inter-Pol's armed guards, who don't have arrest powers, chased the suspects into the woods, Guarascio said.
When the guards cornered the suspects, one turned and charged at them with what appeared to be a shotgun. After shouting multiple orders, a security guard fired three shots. The incident was over shortly after 9 p.m., but Inter-Pol continued to canvass the area until 11:30 p.m.
Inter-Pol officers returned Wednesday morning but found no blood trails, and no one had checked into New Hanover County hospitals with a gunshot wound, Guarascio said. He's continuing to investigate the incident and search for suspects. And while he will file a report with Private Protective Services, an oversight board with N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper's office, an outside investigation is unlikely since apparently no one was injured, Guarascio said.
Labels: business burglary, NC, private security
Springfield, Virgnia
From the Washington Post of February 22, 2008
Guard Fatally Shoots Man After Scuffle at Restaurant
A Fairfax County man, involved in a brawl outside a Springfield area restaurant, was shot to death early yesterday by a security guard who told police he was acting in self-defense.
The incident started inside Cafe Milano, in a shopping center just off Backlick Road, shortly before 1 a.m. Police said that a fight started in the bar area of the restaurant, and that a uniformed private security guard hired by the restaurant escorted one of the fighters outside.
When the 23-year-old guard and the man stepped outside, the guard told police, he was jumped by three or four other men, at least one of whom wielded a knife. Fairfax Officer Don Gotthardt said the man holding the knife was Yordy Adaud Salguero Urmeneta, 27, of the Springfield area, and that he had advanced toward the guard, whose name was not released.
The guard said that he feared for his life and fired one shot, striking Salguero Urmeneta in the stomach, Gotthardt said. Salguero Urmeneta fell, and the other men picked him up, placed him in a white van and fled.
Officers found the van parked outside of Salguero Urmeneta's house on Cather Road, with the wounded man and two others inside, Gotthardt said. Salguero Urmeneta was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he died at 5 a.m., police said.
The two men with Salguero Urmeneta when he was found were interviewed and released, and Gotthardt said they were considered suspects. The security guard, who police said was legally carrying the gun, was not charged, although the case will be presented to the Fairfax commonwealth's attorney for a decision on whether the shooting was justifiable and whether the other men should be prosecuted.
Labels: private security, VA
2/20/08
Memphis, Tennessee
From the February 19, 2008 Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
An armed security guard at the AutoZone Store at 1363 Getwell shot a man attempting to rob the store tonight, Memphis police said.
The robbery suspect came into the store at 7:30 p.m., police said. He was taken in critical condition to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
Labels: business robbery, private security, TN
2/10/08
Kansas City, Missouri
From the Kansas City Star of February 9, 2008
Suspect fatally shot after stabbing guard
A security guard, stabbed by a shoplifting suspect, fatally shot the man tonight at a busy Brookside intersection, police said.
The guard’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Police Sgt. Mike Glass said the guard was working at the Price Chopper at 6327 Brookside Plaza when he saw a man trying to steal something about 8:40 p.m.
The guard chased the suspect about two blocks, to 63rd Street and Wornall Road. The suspect stabbed the guard in the upper body, and the guard then shot the suspect.
The suspect was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The guard also was taken to a hospital.
Labels: MO, private security
1/26/08
Houston, Texas
From Click2Houston of January 23, 2008
Grocery Store Guard Shoots At Shoplifting Suspect
A grocery store security guard opened fire on a shoplifting suspect on Tuesday, KPRC Local 2 reported.
Houston police said the guard at the Fiesta store on Hillcroft Street near Bellaire Boulevard spotted the man inside the store at about 6:45 p.m.
The guard was waiting for the man as he left the store, officials said. The man elbowed the guard as he tried to stop him, police said.
Investigators said the guard fired a warning shot as the man ran away.
Police tracked the man down about a block away. An ambulance was called out to treat the man for an injury he suffered when he fell on concrete.
Labels: business burglary, private security, TX
1/24/08
Orange County, Virginia
From the Culpeper Star Exponent of January 21, 2008
Security guard shoots man at Lake of the Woods
A security guard at Lake of the Woods in Orange County shot a man in the hip shortly after midnight Sunday, causing a minor injury.
According to State Police spokesperson Sgt. Les Tyler, the guard was investigating a 911 call from a residence on Wilderness Lane. Tyler said a man answered the door, became combative and assaulted the guard, who then drew his gun.
The man was taken to Mary Washington Hospital, then sent to the Medical College of Virginia Hospital in Richmond. His injuries are not life-threatening, Tyler said.
The State Police have not released any names, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Labels: altercation, private security, VA
1/13/08
Houston, Texas
From the Star Telegram of January 13, 2008
Security guard shoots, kills man
A shootout at a Richland Hills apartment complex early Sunday left one person dead and a security guard in the hospital, according to reports.
The incident happened about 4 a.m. Sunday at the Bellaire Apartments, 7030 Baker Boulevard.
It is unclear what started the incident, but according to NBC5 and CBS 11, an armed security guard was shot and returned fire at several people attempting to flee in a minivan.
One of the bullets hit the driver of the van in the head, and after jumping a median on Baker Boulevard (also known as Highway 10), the van came to a stop off the road, the reports said. The driver died at the scene, the reports said.
Two people were in custody, the reports said, but CBS 11reported that two others had fled the scene.
The condition of the guard, who was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, was not known.
Labels: defender shot, private security, TX
12/29/07
Fort Worth, Texas
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram of December 29, 2007
Man in critical condition after bar security guard shoots him
A 28-year-old man was shot multiple times by a bar security guard early Saturday morning in the 100 block of West Rosedale Street, police said.
A security guard at the Cowboy Palace bar told police he was acting in self-defense when he fired multiple shots a man in a red car who allegedly tried to run over the security guard.
Jesus Torres was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. No arrests were made. Police seized the security guard's weapon.
Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Dean Sullivan said detectives are investigating.
Labels: altercation, private security, TX
12/27/07
Dallas, Texas
From the Fort Worth Star Telegram of December 27, 2007
Guard fatally shoots intruder in Dallas business
A man who reportedly sneaked into an east Dallas business late Wednesday was fatally shot by a man who was guarding the place, police said.
The shooting was a reported at 9:08 p.m. at the business in the 4300 block of Elm Street, which is east of the intersection of North Haskell Avenue. The neighborhood is a few blocks east of Baylor University Medical Center.
The man who was shot did not have an identification with him, but he appeared to be in his mid 40s, said Sgt. Bruce McDonald, a homicide detective.
A 24-year-old man who was hired to guard the business told police that he heard a garage door opening, but the remote-control opener had been stolen in an earlier burglary, McDonald said.
The guard then confronted the man, McDonald said. The guard said the man approached him in a threatening manner so he shot him with a handgun, McDonald said.
Investigators are trying to identify the dead man by means of his fingerprints, McDonald said.
The case, he added, will be turned over to a Dallas County grand jury which will determine whether or not the guard should face charges for shooting the man. Texas law states that a person can use deadly force to defend themselves or their property.
Further links:
Business Intruder Fatally Shot
Slain burglar had garage door opener from previous break-in at business
Labels: business burglary, private security, TX
12/18/07
Burton, Michigan
From the Flint Journal of December 18, 2007
Alleged carjacker in Burton shot by apartment security guard
An armed security guard on patrol at Kings Lane apartments shot and critically wounded a man who allegedly attempted to carjack the guard's personal car Monday night, Burton police reported.
In a media release, Detective Shawn Duncanson said a 21-year-old male threatened the guard with a handgun and attempted to take his vehicle at 4400 Kings Lane about 9:38 p.m. on Monday.
The security guard, of Michigan Security and Investigations, shot the suspect twice in the torso with a .357 Magnum, Duncanson said.
The suspect was reported in critical condition at an area hospital.
Duncanson said the incident will be forwarded to the Genesee County prosecutor's office for review.
He said he does not expect any charges to be filed against the guard.
Labels: carjacking, MI, private security
12/16/07
St. Petersburg, Florida
From the Tampa Tribune of December 16, 2007
Nursing Home Security Guard Shoots Armed Man
A security guard shot a man in the parking lot of a St. Petersburg nursing home after the man retrieved a gun from his vehicle.
Jacob Michaels, 33, drove his girlfriend and friend to their workplace, Bons Secours Maria Manor Nursing Home, 10300 4th St. N., around 11:30 p.m. Saturday so the friend could retrieve her car. Michaels waited in the car, according to a St. Petersburg Police press release.
While he waited, he was approached by Richard Dunn, 41, the nursing home security guard. Michaels, who isn't an employee of the home, became angry and the pair argued. That's when Michaels retrieved a gun from his car and Dunn shot him, twice.
The wounds are not life threatening, according to police.
Charges haven't been filed since the shooting appears justified, the press release stated. The case is being reviewed by homicide detectives.
Labels: altercation, FL, private security
12/15/07
Houston, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of December 15, 2007
Shootout at grocery leaves customer dead
A botched robbery of a Fiesta grocery store in north Houston is believed to have left two people dead — a 68-year-old woman buying cold medicine and one of the men who tried to hold up the store.
Janette Dominguez, who was caught in the crossfire Friday night between the would-be robbers and the store's security guard, died at Ben Taub General Hospital.
The body of a 27-year-old man, thought to be one of the gunmen, was found later that night at 1208 Northville with a gunshot wound to the torso.
The store's security guard, who was shot in the abdomen, is reportedly in stable condition at Ben Taub.
On the same night, the owner of a small Texas City mom-and-pop grocery store shot and killed an armed robber, authorities said. No charges have been filed against the store owner.
At the Fiesta at Fulton and Patton, two men — one armed with a shotgun and the other with a handgun — entered the store about 9 p.m. Friday, said Sgt. Robert Odom with the Houston Police Department's homicide unit.
Wearing hoods and ski masks, the gunmen threatened a male employee to try to gain access to the store's courtesy area.
"They apparently walked in and grabbed the nearest employee and demanded to be let into the courtesy booth," Odom said.
The armed security guard was taking a break in the coffee shop near the back of the store when he heard the disturbance and went to investigate, Odom said.
When one of the suspects saw the security guard come around the corner, he opened fire, said Odom, noting that the guard's uniform closely resembles an HPD uniform.
The gunmen and security guard exchanged gunfire. Dominguez, who was waiting to check out in the first express lane near the entrance, got caught in the crossfire, authorities said.
"There was a bottle of cold medicine still sitting there," Odom said.
The gunmen fled in a stolen minivan that crashed several blocks away, in a ditch behind the Irvington Pentecostal Church. Police found blood inside the vehicle, thought to be from the man later found dead, Odom said.
(More)
Labels: business robbery, private security, TX
12/10/07
Denver, Colorado
From December 10, 2007 ABC news channel 7:
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Jeanne Assam appeared before the news media for the first time Monday and said she "did not think for a minute to run away" when a gunman entered the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and started shooting.There was applause as Assam spoke to a small crowd saying, "God guided me and protected me."
New Life's Senior Pastor Brady Boyd called Assam "a real hero" because the gunman, Matthew Murray, "had enough ammunition on him to cause a lot of damage."When asked by a reporter if she felt like a hero, Assam said, "I wasn't just going to wait for him to do further damage.""I give credit to God," she said.
Assam described how Murray, entered the east entrance of the church firing his rifle.Click to read more about the shootings in Colorado Springs and Arvada.
"There was chaos," Assam said. "I will never forget the gunshots. They were so loud."
"I saw him coming through the doors" and took cover, Assam said. "I came out of cover and identified myself and engaged him and took him down."
"God was with me," Assam said. "I didn't think for a minute to run away."
Assam said she believes God gave her the strength to confront Murray, keeping her calm and focused even though he appeared to be twice her size and was more heavily armed.
Murray was carrying two handguns, an assault rifle and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, said Sgt. Jeff Johnson of the Colorado Springs Police Department."It seemed like it was me, the gunman and God," she said.
Assam worked as a police officer in downtown Minneapolis during the 1990s and is licensed to carry a weapon. She attends one of the morning services and then volunteers as a guard during another service.
Boyd said Assam was the one who suggested the church beef up its security Sunday following the Arvada shooting, which it did. The pastor credited the security plan and the extra security for preventing further bloodshed.
Boyd said there are 15 to 20 security people at the church. All are volunteers but the only ones armed are those who are licensed to carry weapons.
Labels: CO, concealed carry permit, female, private security
11/26/07
Douglasville, Georgia
From Atlanta’s CBS46.com of November 26, 2007
Arbor Place Mall Reopens After Shootings
A Brinks employee and a suspected robber were shot as two men tried to rob a Brinks Security truck outside a shopping mall in west Georgia.
Douglasville police chief Joe Whisenant told CNN that at least one suspect fired shots at the Brinks employee as he was leaving the mall with money. Whisenant said the employee returned fire, hitting one of the suspects.
Both the guard and the suspect are recovering in Atlanta hospitals. Whisenant told CNN both are expected to survive, but the suspect was in worse shape than the Brinks employee.
"It was a lot of shots, like nine," witness Leigh Knight told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "After about the fourth one, we figured out what it was and we threw the kids under the table and we laid down on top of them. I saw a Brinks man laying face up, he was conscious. There was another man next to him laying face down."
A store owner told the newspaper that police SWAT team members roamed the mall with guns drawn.
The mall is a stand-alone mall in the suburb of Douglasville, which is west of Atlanta.
The mall was locked down after the shootings, but it has reopened.
Labels: defender shot, GA, private security, street robbery
11/20/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of November 20, 2007
Security guard kills man in vacant building
Police this morning identified the private security guard who shot and killed a suspected intruder in an empty Eastside apartment Monday as a 22-year-old from Greenfield.
Nicholas B. House, who works for Trinity Security, told police he thought the man had a gun. The deceased had not been positively identified this morning, but the Marion County coroner's office suspects he might be a 30-year-old from Centerville, Ill. House, according to police, was patrolling the Spanish Oaks apartment complex in the 10300 block of Governours Lane when he noticed an open door to a vacant apartment shortly before 9 p.m. Monday.
House went inside, identified himself and encountered two men in a bedroom. Believing one man had a gun, police said House fired his handgun.
One man collapsed from the gunshot to the chest, police said. The other man ran. Police think others may have fled the apartment.
Sgt. Paul Thompson said House was not an off-duty police officer. House could not give a description of the man who ran.
Police have not yet said if they recovered a gun from the dead man.
Labels: IN, private security, trespassing
11/19/07
Hialeah, Florida
From Miami’s Local10.com of November 19, 2007
Security Guard Fights Back During Robbery
Guard Kicks Gun From Man's Hand, Chases Attempted Robbers Away
A security guard fought back during an attempted robbery at a Hialeah cafeteria early Monday morning.
Around 3 a.m., two men -- one of them armed and wearing a mask -- approached El Palacio de los Jugos, located at 2393 W. 78th St., police said.
One of the men pulled a gun on the security guard, who was sitting on a chair in the parking lot. Surveillance videos shows the guard kick the gun out of the man's hand and draw his own gun. The guard can then be seen firing two shots as the men ran away.
The guard was not injured and it didn't appear either man was shot.
Labels: business robbery, FL, private security
