Suspected Shoplifter Kills Security Guard at Kmart

[Willowdared]

Kmart guard shot, killed in pursuit of theft suspect

By Mark Arner
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 22, 2007
RAMONA–A 32-year-old security guard at a Ramona Kmart was shot and fatally injured yesterday after he confronted a suspected shoplifter who was leaving the store.

The man set off an alarm when he walked out of the store's Garden Shop toward the parking lot. The security guard followed, and a brief struggle ensued, said sheriff's homicide Lt. Dennis Brugos.

A second guard noticed the commotion and stepped in to help, Brugos said.

At that point, the suspect drew a handgun and fired at the first guard, fatally wounding him.

Several people witnessed the 2:40 p.m. shooting, Brugos said.

The witnesses disarmed the gunman, wrestled him to the ground, handcuffed him with one of the security guard's handcuffs and held him until deputies arrived, Brugos said.

The gunman was identified as Andrew Nicholas Griffith, 28. Griffith was booked yesterday on suspicion of murder.

Several other people, including a retired nurse, provided first aid to the wounded guard until paramedics arrived, Brugos said.

The guard, who was not immediately identified by authorities yesterday, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ramona resident Aaron Abrahamsen, 13, witnessed the commotion.

“I was just walking into the garden shop, looking for a friend, and I heard four loud shots that I thought were firecrackers,” Aaron said.

“They seemed to be near the front of the shop. Tons of employees came running in,” shouting that someone had been shot, he said.

Aaron said he walked outside a few minutes later and saw paramedics trying to revive a man.

Deputies cordoned off the parking lot area, including the Los Rancheros restaurant, on Main Street near Pala Street for more than four hours.

Brugos did not identify the people who disarmed and handcuffed the suspect, but he praised them during a news conference yesterday.

“They did a great job at their own peril,” Brugos said. “They confronted an armed suspect, disarmed him and handcuffed him.”

When asked then if he thought such actions were foolish, Brugos said: “I wouldn't call them foolish. I would call them brave.”

[TXCharlie]

“They did a great job at their own peril,” Brugos said. “They confronted an armed suspect, disarmed him and handcuffed him.”

When asked then if he thought such actions were foolish, Brugos said: “I wouldn't call them foolish. I would call them brave.”

Right answer.

[Cheech]

Now if it was a cop who shot him hed be in the wrong.

[TXCharlie]

Now if it was a cop who shot him hed be in the wrong.

[gozling]

i feel so bad for that guys family... he is just working and some asshole shoots him over... what???

i hope they inflicted some citizen bad ass shit on that guy

[Rhino]

One of the reasons I got out of that line of work. You are unarmed and expected to stop people who have just commited a crime. Honestly, I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often.

[Willowdared]

There are more details that haven't been released, and it just breaks your heart to hear it - when it's made public, I will update.

Security guard slain outside of store was a sailor, Navy says

By Craig Gustafson
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 23, 2007
RAMONA – The security guard killed while trying to stop a shoplifting suspect at Kmart in Ramona was also an active-duty sailor, the Navy confirmed yesterday.
“He was an outstanding sailor and we just feel very shocked and grieved by this tragic loss,” said Capt. Matt Brown, a spokesman for Navy Region Southwest.

The Navy declined to release the sailor's name yesterday. His identity and further official details could be released today.

In the absence of information, rumors swirled around Ramona as word-of-mouth hearsay surpassed official information about Saturday's slaying of the 34-year-old security guard. Several people in town said they heard the victim worked at Kmart to support his wife and child.

Andrew Nicholas Griffith, 28, has been booked on a murder charge and is being held without bail at downtown San Diego's Central Jail.

While not typically considered as dangerous as police work, security jobs can be treacherous. Newspaper archives show at least 11 security guards have been killed while on duty in San Diego County since 1986. They were guarding casinos, apartment buildings, hotels and bars.

The Kmart slaying is at least the fifth homicide since 2002 in Ramona, according to crime statistics from the San Diego Association of Governments. Ramona typically has one of the lowest crime rates in the county.

A Kmart store manager, who declined to give her name, would not answer any questions about the shooting and said corporate headquarters prohibited employees from being interviewed. A call to Kmart's corporate headquarters was not returned yesterday.

Brown, the Navy spokesman, said he couldn't release the name because he had not yet received confirmation that the man's next of kin had been notified. The Navy only releases a victim's name 24 hours after his or her family has been contacted. The county will not release the name of a deceased person if he or she is in the military.

That didn't stop Ramona residents from wishing the victim's family well and praising customers who helped during the chaotic moments after the shooting.

The incident began after the gunman set off an alarm while walking out of the store's Garden Shop about 2:45 p.m., authorities said. He headed toward the parking lot, a security guard followed, and a brief struggle ensued.

As a second guard stepped in to help, the suspect drew a handgun and shot the first guard. Witnesses disarmed the gunman, wrestled him to the ground, and handcuffed him. Several people saw the shooting.

The guard who was shot died at the scene.

[Sapper_132]

Thats fucking horrible! That shit bag should get the chair for that!

[snuffy2202]

Absolutely!

[Willowdared]

Sailor killed at Kmart had survived Iraq

By Kristina Davis
STAFF WRITER

July 25, 2007

JULIAN – Petty Officer David Busby II, a U.S. Navy gunner's mate, survived one tour of duty in Iraq.

But it was an encounter with a shoplifter that claimed his life Saturday.
The 34-year-old father, who moonlighted as a security guard at a Kmart in Ramona, was fatally shot after confronting a theft suspect in the parking lot.

He left behind a wife, Lauren, and a 15-month-old son, Wyatt, who live in Julian.

“I am really angry – angry at the idiot who's done this,” said his father, David Busby, from his home in Kansas. “This is tearing us up.”

His son joined the Navy nine years ago and was stationed in San Diego, where he met his wife.

Most recently, he was a member of Precommissioning Unit Independence, or part of the initial crew for a ship still under construction.

“My husband, David, put 100 percent into whatever he did and loved working both in the Navy and in Ramona,” his wife said in a statement. “He was strong, loving, funny and never hesitated to help someone. He was looking forward to watching his son grow and spending time together before his deployment.”

Busby took the part-time job at Kmart as a loss prevention officer a few years ago to earn extra money for his family, said his father, a former security guard.

“You try not to think about (the danger), but it's always in the back of your mind,” his father said, recalling his own experiences on the job. “You have to deal with all kinds of people, not knowing the frame of mind they come in with.”

On Saturday afternoon, a man triggered an anti-theft alarm while leaving the store, and Busby followed him into the parking lot, according to the Sheriff's Department.

A struggle ensued, and a second loss prevention officer came to help.

The shoplifter then reached into his waistband for a gun and shot Busby.

Busby died a short time later, the same day as his parents' wedding anniversary.

Nearby customers chased the suspect, grabbed his gun and handcuffed him until deputies arrived.

Andrew Nicholas Griffith, 28, was arrested on suspicion of murder. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in El Cajon Superior Court.

Sears Holding Corp., which owns Kmart, has set up the David Busby Memorial Fund for his family. Sears and Kmart stores are accepting donations through Aug. 7.

Daniel Busby, 29, described his brother as a proud father who talked nonstop about his son.

“He was one of the best men I knew.”