— A shocking video of a security guard, Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony fatally shooting and killing a male shoplifter has appeared and gone viral online.
— CCTV footage shows a security officer shooting and killing Banko Brown suspected shoplifter, after a brief rumble at a Walgreens store.
San Francisco’s district attorney’s office released the shocking CCTV footage showing the security officer at a Walgreens store shooting and killing the suspected shoplifter, Banko Brown on Monday, May 15.
The two had a brief rumble on the 27th of April after the security officer stopped him on his way out and apparently overpowered him. Things, however, took a different turn after the security guard brought out his pistol and shot the 24-year-old Brown once.
The guard had ultimately allowed Brown to get up and video shows the suspected thief picking up the bag and heading out the door. He reportedly turned around on his way out and made a move at Anthony, prompting Anthony to draw his weapon and fire a single shot.
Banko Brown fell flat to the ground after being shot and struggled for a few minutes to get back up as could be seen in the video.
In the police station, Anthony stated he told Brown to give them back and that Brown was the one who battled to keep them.
After telling Brown to calm down, the security officer said Brown started making threats to stab him. Anthony said he released Brown but aimed his pistol towards the ground in preparation for a possible attack. He said he shot Brown as the suspect moved towards him in an attempt to charge, only learning too late that Brown would have only spat at him.
The district attorney, Jenkins claims the security guard shot Back in self-defence because he was threatened with a knife, although that later found out Brown was not even carrying one.
Jenkins said that Anthony’s claim of self-defence was uncontested and advised locals to base their judgement only on the footage of the incident.
“There will be a temptation, as human beings, to only view the video footage of this incident and nothing else,” Jenkins said. “We are accustomed to seeing videos online, and that often is what captures our attention rather than going the extra step to look deeper.”
She suggested that instead of relying just on the tape which has no sound, people should go through the witness statements and the police report as well.
On Monday, May 15, demonstrators took to the streets of San Francisco in response to Brooke’s decision to drop all charges against the defendants in the case.
Supervisor Shamann Walton said in a statement Banko was “executed.”
“Where is the perceived threat?” Walton said.
The non-profit organization that Brown, a trans man who struggled with homelessness, worked at also slammed Jenkins.
“We do not need to see the video to know that Banko Brown’s killing was unjustified. Armed force is not a justified response to poverty,” said Julia Arroyo, the Young Women’s Freedom Center co-executive director, in a statement Monday.
“We must live with the sobering reality that he was killed for no other cause but $14.”
Watch the video below:
