Authorities in Los Angeles have filed murder charges against security guard Donald Vincent Ciota II in the shooting of an unarmed black gay man in a Hollywood Walgreens.
While working as an armed security guard on December 2nd, army veteran Ciota shot 21-year-old Jonathan Hart (alias Sky Young) in the back following a dispute in a Walgreens drug store. According to witness statements, Hart and Ciota engaged in a verbal argument over an item priced at $2.99. When Hart tried to run out of the store, Ciota shot him. Hart died at the scene.
Related: Family sues Walgreens for $525 million after security guard kills gay black man over $2.99 product
Hart’s family commended the Los Angeles district attorney following the filing of the murder charges. They claim Ciota targeted Jonathan because he was black and gay. The family has also announced they plan to file a $525 million lawsuit against Walgreens, and is organizing a boycott against the store until it removes armed guards from stores serving “the black, the brown and the homeless communities.” Walgreens terminated the security company employing Ciota following the incident and has extended its remorse to Hart’s family.
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Ciota’s attorney, Mark Geragos (noted for his representation of Michael Jackson during his child molestation trial) has claimed that Ciota only acted in self-defense. “If this were a police officer, they would be lauding him,” Geragos said. “He was assaulted. He defended himself.”
Walgreens said in a statement that the company supports the prosecution. A judge has set Ciota’s bail at $3 million.
Wicked Dickie
Good. Now we need a conviction.
sb90028
The black kid was a thug. The security guard deserves a reward.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Queerty: Is this Dbag paying for this CONSTANT annoying posts on EVERY thread???
RIGay
I’ve reported this BOT spam to the site administrators.
Kangol
This is some good news to start the new year. Now convict him.
djmcgamester
This is without a doubt a tragedy. That guy should never have had a gun in his hand and there’s no reason they possibly justifies shooting him over a $3 product. However, the heading is a bit slanted. It seems to suggest he was shot because he was gay. That’s not the case.
Vince
Actually the family attorney is trying to spin it into he got shot because he was black. Makes for a nice juicy payout.
Vince
“Ciota only acted in self-defense. “If this were a police officer, they would be lauding him,” Geragos said. “He was assaulted. He defended himself.”
Yeah, right. Good luck with that.
nitejonboy
The Walgreens in my area don’t have guards. Never heard of this before.
Vince
Posted guards are just a fact of life where I live.
Hussain-TheCanadian
He was defending himself……………so he shot the young man in the back? How does that work exactly?
JK 1984
He was just running away to go get a weapon to kill me/I thought he was going to turn around and run at me/I feared for my life……
Expect something like that to be pulled out by the lawyer.
Why you need an armed guard at a Walgreen, I will necer understand. A security guard isn’t an officer of the law (although them all being armed is another discussion entirely), who at least go through training on using their weapon appropriately and de-escalation steps (again another discussion).
A security guard shouldn’t have lethal weapons at their disposal, if they need anything it should be non-leathal alternatives.
bowlingbutch
Earlier reports said the victim was homeless and now that he is dead the family wants to sue???? Where was the family when this person needed his family’s assistance? Using his death to get a paycheck is despicable.
sb90028
They’re black. They don’t contribute just take…