14 Security Guards Face Murder Charges In One Month
Charlotte NC July 30 2018
During the month of July, 14 security officers have been charged with murder and twenty people were fatally shot during an array of disturbances, confrontations, assaults and interactions with private security.
And these numbers are just the ones that our news desk was able to confirm. Other similar incidents may have occurred and not been reported through a news press release or picked up by national media.
During this past week-end alone, five people were killed during confrontations with security officers in three states.
Of these fatal shootings, all but one was unarmed.
But to be clear, it is not a requirement of the law that a person be armed with a weapon. Though the language of each state statutes varies slightly, the national standard is that a person may use lethal force when in imminent fear of an assault that may cause serious bodily injury or death.
This week-end’s fatal shootings occurred at two nightclubs, two at apartment complexes and one at a hookah lounge.
Police are investigating all fatal shootings and no arrests have been made so far.
At this point in the year, fatal shootings have dramatically increased over shootings in 2017 and 2016 but there’s been a decrease of security officer prosecutions in this year’s shooting incidents.
The most egregious shooting by private security officers occurred earlier this month in Kansas City Missouri.
Police there charged two security guards in connection to the fatal shooting of Kevin Thomas.
Thomas was shot and killed June 29 just east of the Yum Yum Bar & Grill in the 5300 block of E. 24th Street.
Christopher L. Jones and Markell Pinkins each face second-degree murder charges and armed criminal action.
A third security guard, Leon Doniphan, has been charged with tampering with evidence.
According to court records, the security guards work for a private security firm.
Documents also state the security guards told police they responded to a vehicular accident. Thomas was in his car outside this bar and grill at 24th and Hardesty.
By all accounts Thomas was stopped in the road when the security guards drew their guns, yelling at the driver to put it in park and step out.
According to witness, when he didn’t, two of the security guards then opened fire.
According to a court statement, one of the security guards charged with murder said the driver “revved the engine” and he “had no exit route.” The other said he shot the driver in “self-defense because the man drove towards him.”
Jones told police that he and Pinkins fired shots at the victim after initially telling investigators he was not armed and didn’t shoot the victim.
Per court records, Jones also said he shot through the passenger side of the windshield, while Pinkins fired his gun through the driver’s window.
