A security guard has died after he was shot while he protected a San Francisco Bay Area television news crew covering a smash-and-grab theft, part of a rash of organized retail crime in the region, reports The Associated Press.
Nishita was an armed guard for Star Protection Agency and provided security for television news crews in the region, who are often targeted by robbers for their equipment.
He was shot in the abdomen during an attempted robbery of KRON-TV’s camera equipment near downtown Oakland on Wednesday, police said.
The news crew was covering a recent robbery where a group of thieves broke in and stole from a clothing store.
“We are devastated by the loss of security guard and our friend, Kevin Nishita. Our deepest sympathy goes to Kevin’s wife, his children, his family, and to all his friends and colleagues,” KRON-TV’s vice president and general manager, Jim Rose, said in a statement issued Saturday.
Kevin was genuine, humble and always did the job with a smile on his face.
— Camila Barco (@cbarcotv) November 27, 2021
He was our private security guard that kept our team and numerous other Bay Area reporters safe while our in the field.
Kevin will be missed. https://t.co/j3KyaTBWn4
A reward of $32,500 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in Nishita’s killing.
Nishita was a police officer for the cities of Hayward, San Jose, Colma before retiring in 2018. The Alameda County Sheriff’s office said deputies escorted his body from the hospital with full law enforcement honors.
The region has been struck by organized retail thefts in which bands of thieves, some carrying crowbars and hammers, break into high-end stores and snatch merchandise.
Similar thefts have been reported in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills and elsewhere in the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment