FLORIDA – A manslaughter charge has been filed against a GameStop employee who, according to police, fatally shot a shoplifter as he was attempting to escape.
Derrick Guerrero, 33, was on duty at a GameStop store located in a suburban Fort Lauderdale strip mall on a Tuesday evening. A man had taken off with five boxes of “ultra-premium” Pokemon Scarlet & Violet trading cards, each valued at $120, and was making a dash for the exit, as revealed in a report by the Pembroke Pines police.
In response, Guerrero retrieved a handgun from his waistband and discharged a single shot, striking the man in the side. The shoplifter dropped the stolen trading cards and fled to a waiting pickup truck outside, before a woman contacted the authorities. The shoplifter succumbed to his injuries at a hospital three hours later.
According to the police, surveillance footage from the store indicated that the shoplifter did not pose a threat to Guerrero and did not brandish any weapons. The identity of the deceased individual has not been disclosed.
Florida’s “stand your ground” law allows the use of deadly force when there is a perceived threat of death or significant bodily harm to oneself or others but does not permit it solely for the protection of property. Manslaughter refers to a killing that occurs spontaneously and in the heat of the moment.
Guerrero is currently detained at Broward County Jail, with bail set at $25,000. As of Wednesday, GameStop had not responded to requests for comment.
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