The Florida GameStop employee who police say shot and killed a thief trying to steal rare Pokémon cards said he was “extremely sorry” for the victim’s family.
A somber Derrick Guerrero, 33, spoke for the first time about the shooting death of Chadrick Coats, 21, while bonding out of jail on a manslaughter charge Thursday.
“I am very sorry for the family. “It was not my intention for any of this to happen to the family,” Guerrero told reporters.
“It was not my intention”.
With his head bowed, Guerrero, a retired Marine and married father of two, repeatedly apologized as he waited to be picked up from jail, NBC 6 reported.
“I feel very sorry for the family,” he said.
Guerrero was arrested shortly after the shooting Tuesday night.
He had been working a shift at the GameStop location in Pembroke Pines when he saw Coats get away with five boxes of “ultra-premium” Pokémon Scarlet and Violet cards valued at about $600, police said in a report.
Derrick Guerrero, 33, a retired Marine, apologized to the family of Chadrick Coats, 21, after police said he shot and killed the college sophomore for stealing Pokémon cards from a GameStop store. WSVN
Guerrero screamed, pulled a gun from his waistband — one he says he bought for protection after an earlier robbery — and fired a single shot, hitting the fleeing robber in the torso, authorities said.
Coats dropped the stolen merchandise and ran to a waiting van, where his girlfriend called police.
He was taken to a local hospital but died from his injuries three hours later.
Coats’ grandmother said he was a “good kid” and a sophomore at Florida Memorial University.
Guerrero was working a shift at the GameStop location in Pembroke Pines when he saw Coats get away with five boxes of “ultra-premium” Pokémon Scarlet and Violet cards valued at about $600, police said in a report. Chadrick Coats/facebook
The victim’s family has demanded justice for him.
Security cameras at the GameStop store showed that Coats never threatened Guerrero, police said.
It was not the first time Coats had been accused of theft.
Two weeks ago, the college student was arrested by police for allegedly stealing $500 worth of Pokémon cards from a Macy’s in Plantation, station WSVN reported.
Guerrero screamed, pulled a gun from his waistband — one he says he bought for protection after an earlier robbery — and fired a single shot, hitting the fleeing robber in the torso, authorities said.
He was fired with a notice to appear.
During Guerrero’s initial court appearance Wednesday, his attorney said his client had served for 10 years in the United States Marine Corps before being honorably discharged.
He worked as an assistant manager at GameStop to support his wife and two daughters.
Guerrero had been assaulted at work on Sept. 11 and had purchased the gun used in Tuesday’s shooting for personal protection, police said.
In addition to posting $25,000 bail, Guerrero was ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor and surrender all of his weapons.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn