Who is Derrick Guerrero? Ex-Marine GameStop worker faces charges for fatally shooting college student who stole Pokemon cards
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: Derrick Guerrero, a retired Marine and a Florida GameStop employee, has been charged with manslaughter after police claimed he shot and killed a shoplifter who attempted to take $600 worth of Pokemon trading cards.
The report released by Pembroke Pines police on Wednesday, October 18, stated that 33-year-old Guerrero was working at the video game store in a suburban Fort Lauderdale strip mall on Tuesday night when a man grabbed 5 boxes of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet "ultra-premium" trading cards, each costing $120, and ran toward the door.
According to police reports, Guerrero took a handgun out of his waistband and fired one shot, striking the man in the side.
The victim’s family identified him as 21-year-old Chadrick Coats, per the New York Post.
Derrick Guerrero was honorably discharged from US Marine Corps
Guerrero's counsel stated during his initial court appearance on October 18 that his client, who was working as an assistant manager at GameStop to support his wife and two little girls, was honorably retired from the US Marine Corps after ten years of service.
Guerrero purchased the gun for his own safety after becoming the victim of a robbery at work on September 11, said the police.
He was transported to the Broward County Jail and released after posting a $25,000 bond.
Guerrero appeared timid and silent when reporters tried to have an interview with him after he was released from jail.
According to local NBC affiliate WTVJ, Guerrero told reporters as he left the jail, "I’m really sorry for the family. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen to the family. It wasn’t my intention."
What happened between Derrick Guerrero and Chadrick Coats?
Guerrero saw a man shoplifting while he was working at the gaming store located at 11069 Pines Blvd, said Pembroke Pines police.
The suspected shoplifter, Coats, fled for the front door with $600 worth of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Ultra-Premium Collection trading cards after he was confronted by Guerrero and a struggle broke out.
According to the police, once the victim dropped the goods and started to flee, Guerrero took a hidden gun out of his belt and shot Coats in the upper torso. He was taken immediately to a nearby hospital where he eventually died.
The alleged shoplifter never displayed a gun throughout the incident and did not possess a firearm, police said.
According to investigators, surveillance camera footage shows Guerrero reaching for his revolver and pursuing Coats.
The defendant may face serious consequences if it turns out that the deceased never made threats to hurt Guerrero.
He might use Florida's "stand your ground" statute for his defense, but only if he had good grounds to believe that there was no other way to protect himself or anyone else from suffering physical injury.