An off-duty security guard has been charged with second-degree murder after prosecutors allege he fatally shot a 17-year-old six times in the back, the AP is reporting. The teen and his friends were attempting to return a toy gun, mistaken by the guard as a real firearm, to a sporting goods store.
According to King County prosecutors, Aaron Brown Myers, 51, was charged on Monday for the death of Hazrat Ali Rohani outside a Big 5 Sporting Goods Store in Renton, Washington. In addition to the murder charge, Myers faces a second-degree assault charge for allegedly holding another teen at gunpoint.
The incident occurred on June 5 at approximately 7:30 p.m. Rohani and two other teens were on their way to return a malfunctioning airsoft gun to the store. The group passed in front of Myers, who was sitting in his vehicle waiting to pick up his son from a martial arts class.
Myers informed police that he believed he saw one of the teens carrying a Glock handgun and another placing a firearm into his waistband. Believing he needed to intervene in an armed robbery, Myers said he felt he did not have time to call 911, the AP reported. Instead, he confronted the teens with his own gun—a real one.
As Myers approached, one of the teens stepped aside while the other two stopped, raised their hands, and placed the airsoft gun on the sidewalk. They repeatedly told Myers that it was a “BB gun” and not a real firearm, according to witness accounts. Despite these assurances, Myers continued to escalate the situation.
According to the probable cause document filed by Renton police and reported on by the AP, Myers then pushed one of the boys onto the sidewalk and straddled him. He continued to point his firearm at Rohani, who held his hands out in front of him to show they were empty. As Rohani began to back away, Myers opened fire, hitting the teen once in the right side and six times in the back.
Video footage shows Rohani clutching his abdomen as he fell to the ground, calling out for his mother. One of the other teens ran for cover and called 911. Rohani died at the scene, and police immediately took Myers into custody.
Myers’ lawyer, Michelle Scudder, said in an email that Myers sincerely believed he was witnessing the beginning of a violent crime and wanted to stop it before anyone got hurt.
“Mr. Myers and his family are devastated by this tragedy and the fact that it resulted in the loss of a young man’s life,” Scudder said. “We are confident that over the course of this investigation the evidence will show that Mr. Myers’ only intent that day was to protect himself and others from serious harm or death.”
Prosecutors, however, argue that Myers failed to take appropriate actions.
“The defendant failed to take the obvious step of securing the toy gun, rather than assaulting the teen who had carried it,” King County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Burke said in a court filing.
Myers is being held in King County jail on $2 million bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 24 in Kent, Washington.
“Only a high bail, electronic home detention, and surrender of all firearms will protect the community from an untrained civilian who believes he has a duty to shoot people who have not hurt anyone,” Burke said.
The case serves as a lesson to anyone who would be too quick to intervene in a situation on which they don’t have all the facts and certainly do not correctly read as they get involved in it. It also underscores the need for children and even adults either carrying or playing with toy guns to be cautious they are not mistook for real guns. A number of recent articles have focused on the misuse of Orbeez water gel guns to shoot people, which can leave bruises and welts on the skin and even put someone’s eye out similar to a pellet gun. Even these toys, used properly or misused, could result in someone with a firearm, including police, to misidentify a situation and reply to a perceived assault with deadly force.
No obvious threat to the security guard, call 911. No obvious crime has yet been committed, call 911, You’re not a cop, call 911. No way I’m playing superman and risking my life and freedom. This guy screwed up big time.
“No obvious threat to the security guard, call 911.”
The threat ended when the kid put the gun on the ground, full stop.
If the full facts are as described in the article, he deserves that 2nd degree charge. I’d vote to convict…
Geoff, I agree. The security guard over reacted.
Yep. Once the “gun” was on the ground with hands up, it became a bad shoot, especially with all the shots to the back as the kid tried to escape after being shot the first time.
They wouldn’t charge a cop with this. I saw the video of the cop shooting a white kid walking out of convenience store with his headphones on. The cop called him to stop, the kid didn’t hear it, so the cop shot him in the back a bunch of times.
Exactly.
Fry the asshole.
“Fry the asshole.”
I wouldn’t go *quite* that far, but 15-20 years for 2nd degree is a fair sentence…
Based strictly on the facts as presented in this story, fry him. Upgrade to 1st degree and fry him.. Like the Loud Music Guy and the Handicap Parking Guy in FL, the apparent core fact is he just really really wanted to shoot somebody.
And it sounds cliche, but touching on another parallel with the aforementioned cases – would he have done this to a white kid?
XZX, No to 1st Degree. 1st degree requires premeditation. What this security guard did was reckless.
Looks to me like he saw a chance to shoot somebody and maybe get away with it. Hence the escalation.
1st is usually ‘premeditated’ and this doesn’t fit the bill. That said I find it almost incomprehensible that this guy had any job where he was vested with the authority to carry a firearm as a duty prerequisite? I note the ‘name’ of the victim and wonder if some small amount of ‘terrorist bias’ wasn’t part of this insanity? And ‘seven’ rounds? The company who employed him (even while this was not an ‘on duty’ incident) should evaluate their hiring practices but they don’t bear any guilt in this…boggles the mind.
If you’re not Johnny Law think very hard before playing Johnny Law. Mr. Aaron Brown Myers will have plenty of time to reflect upon that.
Myers claims also to have taken an “overwatch” position in the parking lot before his shooting.
Myers has a history of getting involved and being mistaken.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/06/11/washington-aaron-brown-myers-big-5-shooting/74062467007/
Paul Blart?
That comparison is unfair to Paul Blart.
Ironically, if Rohani *had* had a real gun and had instead managed to shoot Myers, it might have been a good shoot, as this lunatic Myers was pointing a gun at Rohani for no reason. As unfriendly as WA has been to gun rights recently, it is still a shall-issue permit state. For all Myers knew, Rohani could have just looked young for his age — some 21-year-olds can still pass for 17. It could have been weapon carried with a valid permit. Myers had no business initiating a confrontation, no less escalating, and even if Rohani was carrying illegally, he has a right to defend himself from an armed assault.
Myers escalated the issue because he wanted to. Another security guard who thinks they are a tier-one operator
Real cop would have gotten away with it.
Pretty much my thoughts on this. This guy seems to have been hell bent on shooting someone though. The Police would of probably shot first and asked questions later. So there is that.
RE: “Only a high bail, electronic home detention, and surrender of all firearms will protect the community from an untrained civilian who believes he has a duty to shoot people who have not hurt anyone,” Burke said.”
It is obvious burke is a Gun Control pos riding around on the coattails of a senseless tragedy. This knee jerk mindset to throw everyone into the same pot with a “trained” buffoon is despicable and done strictly to advance an agenda. Perhaps the prosecutor needs training on how not to be an azzhole looking down his nose at others.
One interesting point about this “untrained civilian” is that he apparently holds a license as a security officer in Washington and owns his own security company (although I am unable to find any information about what services his security company claims to provide or how many officers they claim to have).
To become a security guard in Washington state, you need to:
– Be at least 18 years old (21 for armed security guard)
– Be a US citizen or resident alien
– Pass a drug test and a background check based on your fingerprints
– Have a high-school diploma or GED
– Complete the pre-assignment training requirements
– Have a current firearms certificate issued by the commission (for armed security guard)
– Be licensed as an unarmed private security guard (for armed security guard)
– Be employed by, or have a job offer from, a licensed private security guard company
– Have 3 years of experience or pass an exam (for security guard company license)
– Have a physical business within Washington and a valid business license
Myers apparently met the state requirements to be a security guard and to open his own security company…. but still didn’t know you can’t go around shooting unarmed people who aren’t any immediate threat to anyone.
Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!
What a Damn fool and idiot
He needs to fry but unfortunately he has already reproduced into the gene pool
My 13 yo grandson had something he was excited to show me on my weekly visit to their home. He came out of his bedroom with a Glock 19 in hand. Looked just like a g19. Only it was airsoft.
It scared the crap out of me knowing I had a teenage grand son with a real looking ‘fake’ gun. I made him and his parents swear he’s never carry it out on the street.
There is no excuse for what this guy did to that kid in Washington. I sure as hell do not want it happening to my grandson.
I have a Walther CP 99 CO2 bb gun that you can’t tell it from a real one.
I have the same, and you are 100-percent correct.
National shall-issue is now the law of the land thanks to the ‘Bruen’ decision. This is a *perfect* example of the need to have a basic gun safety education required in the public schools.
Education is actual ‘Gun Safety’, not the bullshit type the fascist-leftists want.
Call the law the ‘Hazrat Ali Rohani’ Gun Safety Act and get it submitted to Congress…
Shooter was wrong, wrong WRONG. Not blaming the victim here, but putting the “malfunctioning” item in a cardboard box or plastic bag would probably have prevented a stupid tragedy.
“Not blaming the victim here,…”
Nor I, his ignorance of actual gun safety got his ass shot dead, and that needs to stop with actual gun safety training in the schools, like driver’s ed is taught.
This is an opportune time to nail the leftists on this, *teach* the kids how to handle anything that looks like a gun in a way that won’t get them mistakenly shot.
We need be the ones not letting a tragedy go to waste this time…
Great idea Geoff. If both sides of the isle can’t get behind a true common sense gun safety law like that WTF
dems will probably scream that it would be to scary for the children
“WTF dems will probably scream that it would be to scary for the children.”
As it surely will be. Don’t you know that it is settled science that guns have the ability to create future school shooters and bend young minds to become gang members. It is science; don’t argue with settled science. People who do argue are a direct, and imminent threat to our democracy !
Sorry, stop blaming the kid. The security guard was totally in the wrong. He had plenty of time to call 911. Nope, he had to be the hero. How about training for screwball security guards who are armed? There’s a thought.
if report is true kid laid the gun on the ground, hands up, told the idiot it was an airsoft gun
I bet the shooter was shaking with fear. I had several folks worked in a security company with me were afraid of their own shadow, fired them. Others, were as cool as could be.
I worked security late night for a hunting club.
Poacher problems.
All out there by your lonesome, miles from po po emergency.
Gotta be cool when you might be or probably are outgunned.
I worked two jobs for over 20 years. Exercising my white privilege. Security was always a side gig for me. A lot of isolated posts around warehouses, wharves, and country dark places. Got shot at. Hospitals were tough.
If you don’t have a little common sense you will get fucked up.
🙂💪
Myers was (and is) a complete idiot. Even if the gun had been real and the teens really were on their way to commit an armed robbery, he still had no legal justification to shoot the unarmed teen who was backing away from the crazy man (Myers).
This wasn’t the first time this idiot was involved in an incident with an innocent unarmed civilian. At least in the previous incident he called the cops, who found that the person Myers was following and said he “might have to shoot” was unarmed.
To top it off, this idiot owned his own “security company” called Midnight Sun Operations LLC. Apparently getting a security officer license and running a security company in Washington doesn’t require much in the way of Use-of-Force training.
Contrary to what he said, he had no duty to intervene. He is a wannabe, not a cop, and a loose cannon to boot.
Myers messed up bad. He thought he was about to become a hero, instead he ended an innocent kid’s life, and wrecked his own.
I don’t know if 2nd degree murder is the right charge. Manslaughter might be more appropriate. I don’t know, six shots in the back, maybe murder is appropriate.
I just don’t know if there was malicious intent, or just gross criminal negligence.
Second degree???
This was an obvious bad shoot, but there are tons, probably literally thousands, of “kids” like these running around Chicago with REAL G19s, many equipped with switches. These “kids” run around car jacking, robbing & shooting people at will, with very little likelihood of getting caught, or of getting prosecuted if caught, or of getting convicted if prosecuted, or of going to jail if convicted. People have literally seconds or less to make a life or death decision tin these cases.
The story mentioned that the guy thought that his son was in a nearby building waiting to get picked up, so he had a heightened sense or awareness.
People should realize that if multiple adult sized people are walking around brandishing objects that look like firearms, someone is likely to confront them in a bad way. Yes, the guy probably over reacted, but this is also a case of play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
And there’s your argument against open carry,
“People should realize that if multiple adult sized people are walking around brandishing objects that look like firearms, someone is likely to confront them in a bad way.”
It should also make you realize Trayvon Martin reacted to a legitimate threat.
What bullcrap.
“It should also make you realize Trayvon Martin reacted to a legitimate threat.”
*Lie*, Zimmerman was known as the nighttime security of the neighborhood, and Martin didn’t confront him, he circled back around the building and jumped Zimmerman from behind.
Martin was the legitimate threat when he repeatedly slammed Zimmerman’s head into the concrete sidewalk repeatedly.
How do we know this? Read the trial transcript, an eyewitness saw Martin doing just that.
No one person saw the whole incident, but the individual eyewitness stories matched Zimmerman’s story. That’s *WHY* Zimmerman wasn’t arrested that night, Zimmerman’s testimony matched the eyewitnesses. It was only when the race hustlers started spreading lies about the confrontation did the national pressure (from the usual agitators) forced them to indict Zimmerman.
What cleared Zimmerman in the trial was that the girl Martin was talking to verified Zimmerman’s (and the eyewitnesses) stories as to what actually happened that night, Martin was itching to do a beat-down on a ‘Cracker’, and got more than he bargained for.
A simple lesson that even you can understand – Don’t attack people and smash their heads repeatedly on concrete sidewalks, and you won’t get your ass shot dead… 🙁
Zimmerman was no security guard. He was a dude with a gun and a wannabe attitude. A negligent discharge waiting to go off.
How do you neutralize an armed threat when all you have is your bare hands? You do what Trayvon did.
You’re full of crap.
IF Mr. Zimmerman had ever presented such an armed threat, you might have a point. But there’sno evidence that his gun was ever visible before Mr. Martin attacked him, and no gun was mentioned to Mr. Martin’s girlfriend whom he was speaking to via telephone during the incident.
“…and no gun was mentioned to Mr. Martin’s girlfriend whom he was speaking to via telephone during the incident.”
She testified Martin wanted to beat-down a ‘Cracker’ (Her words).
Question – What was Martin doing in the Orlando area? His home was in the Miami area.
Answer – He was sent to his father’s house by his mother because of a school incident that got him suspended.
So, we have a very angry kid who didn’t like being followed, so he decide to take out his rage on a chubby ‘Cracker’.
Martin played a very stupid game, and he won a jackpot stupid prize…
“Zimmerman was no security guard.”
Irrefutable *FACT* :
The HOA recognized Zimmerman as their de facto ‘Neighborhood Watch’ representative. He was watching, and reported to the police he saw someone suspicious. Martin then brutally attacked Zimmerman, Zimmerman the rightfully defended himself.
Case closed, not guilty…
Another couple of points never mentioned – the idea that Martin did not know about Z’s existence seems highly unlikely.
Local kids would have quick to point him out to newcomers. or at least warn them.
Z was ambushed twice on the way to a doctor’s appointment, by a person that worked in the mall the office was in – to my mind, this indicates a leak in the doctor’s organization. That is VERY scary.
worked
We agree!
Zimmerman was not an officially licensed nor officially hired as a Security Guard.
We agree he was a wannabe with a gun looking for fight.
I mean no. Openly carrying a holstered pistol is not the same as shoving a Glock in your pants moments before walking into a store. Most reasonable people would be suspicious of that versus the guy with a holstered pistol.
bad shoot.
This “security guard”, in my view, should be executed, for the protection of society. Of course, there are 4 chances of this ending. Fat, Slim, Little and No. Additionally, I wonder as to exactly how candidates for “security guard positions” are selected. Is simply showing up at a hiring office all it takes?
These tin-horn badge want’a’be’s have got to stop this s h ‘ t! Citizens are NOT law-enforcement and should stop acting like it. They are not trained for it and react in fear or seeking glory. This guy needs to go to jail for a long long time.
I carry a handgun and serve on my church’s security team, but I am not law enforcement and I am not to try to apprehend. I’m only there to try and protect the Pastors and congregation if under undeniable direct threat. My job is to stay away and call the police!
I also act as armed security at my church, and I also do everything possible to avoid conflict. I draw the line, however, if a rioting gang of ‘mostly peaceful’ Antifa show up in my neighborhood to start vandalizing, burning, robbing, shooting, etc. If the PD don’t show up, or of the PD don’t respond if they do show up, then the neighborhood will be defended. And I expect that the shit-stains will have a few wishes: first that they had better than airsoft helmets and umbrellas, and second that the PD had hauled them away in cuffs when they had a chance.
“Citizens are NOT law-enforcement ….”
Technically and actually:
1. law enforcement are citizens hired into the job or elected to hold the ‘officer (e.g. sheriff)
2. those citizens not hired into the job or elected to hold the office (e.g. sheriff, legislators)….are the original law enforcement but by proxy, because they elect officials (and by their permission) to establish the means of ‘law enforcement’ executed by those hired into the job or elected to hold the office (e.g. sheriff, legislators). Its ‘We the people…’ not ‘We the law enforcement…” so its ‘the people’ who are the ‘law enforcement’ but its enacted by those hired into the job or elected to hold the office (e.g. sheriff, legislators) who act as proxy for ‘the people’.
What? No love expressed for the check-off-all-the-boxes justifications by the liar for hire?
What exactly is your problem, moron?
Not photo one of the ‘trigger man’ Aaron Brown Rogers seem available -anywhere-.
Gotta’ wonder – Why is that?
me too wondered what the sob looked like
It’s a good idea not to walk towards a store with a gunm in your hand and having your friend with one stuck in his pants.
I’m kinda wondering why wasnt the broken gunm in the purchase box along with the receipt?
Myers might have been right but he was wrong in the way he handled it.
Anyway Hazrat is now Wasrat
Re the water guns, this has been an issue in towns nearby to me. Some kids did a prank “assault” on some other kids in a restaurant and a concealed carrier there almost engaged them.
if the cops i worked with were as stupid as this guy- and so many others-
we would have shot a dozen a week. We did not.
He Watched too many NUTNFANCY
Sheepdog videos.
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