Best Buy Security Guard Fired after Tackling Suspect Who Fled from Deputies in Roseville

fox40.com ^ | Updated at 09:35PM, January 26, 2019 | by Charmaine Nero

[Red Badger]

ROSEVILLE – A security guard was fired from a Roseville Best Buy after he tackled a suspect fleeing from deputies last week.

Surveillance footage, taken by the family of Tyler, the former Best Buy security guard, shows Placer County deputies chasing a suspect through a Roseville shopping plaza.

“There was a guy who walked by and when he got by his car, a bunch of undercover sheriffs came over to arrest him,” said Tyler.

Tyler, an Army veteran, who only wanted to be referred to by his first name, was working at the Roseville Best Buy when he noticed a man, identified as 35-year-old Timothy Trujillo, knocking down a deputy.

“When they confronted him, the man punched one of the detectives and tried to run off, that’s when the security guard tackled the man, preventing him from escaping,” said Lt. Andrew Scott, spokesperson for the Placer County Sheriff's Office.

“He started running past me and I thought I was doing the right thing by stopping him,” Tyler added.

Eventually, deputies were able to arrest Trujillo.

But Tyler says his good deed was quickly overshadowed when he went back inside his job.

“I understood that when I went back in there I was going to get into some type of trouble because Best Buy policy says we aren’t supposed to touch anybody,” he stated.

One week later, Tyler says he was given the pink slip.

“My manager called me in and said corporate decided to let me go because I used excessive force and it was against Best Buy’s policy to intervene,” Tyler said.

A Best Buy representative issued a statement in response saying, “Our policy is clear, employees are not to chase potential criminals outside of the store. Chasing an individual in the parking lot creates a safety risk that isn’t worth taking, regardless of how noble an employee’s intention is.”

Tyler says he has no hard feelings toward his former employer. He’s just happy knowing he helped put a criminal behind bars.

“Seemed like it was the right thing, like I said it was someone running from the cops, seemed like the logical thing to do,” Tyler said.

Trujillo is facing several charges including assault, drug possession, and burglary.

Tyler says he’s looking forward to starting college in April.

[Red Badger]

Timothy Trujillo, 35, faces a host of charges, including burglary (in Nevada, Placer County and Sacramento) possession of methamphetamine and assaulting and resisting a peace officer.

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Charmaine Nero @CNeroTV

#NEW: A security guard at Best Buy is seen in surveillance - tackling a suspect who punched a deputy while resisting arrest at this Roseville shopping center. The man was later arrested - but the security guard was fired for violating company policy. @FOX40 45 10:35 PM - Jan 26, 2019 · Rocklin, CA

76 people are talking about this

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Video at link.........................

[SkyDancer]

Then what is the purpose of having a security guard?

[PGR88]

My nephew worked at a Dicks Sporting Goods. They told their staff they were in NO WAY allowed to approach or interfere with shoplifters. Identify the perp, stand back, and call the security or mall police.

He said that if the local feral youth were at all organized or intelligent, they could clean out a Dicks in 3 minutes

[Lurkinanloomin]

“He started running past me and I thought I was doing the right thing by stopping him,” Tyler added.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were doing the right thing.
The company you worked for didn’t.

[Moonman62]

Timothy Trujillo, 35, faces a host of charges,

...

Lucky for him, he’s in a sanctuary state.

[thefactor]

CYA by employers. I’m fine with it. This is usually focused on thieves. The cost of the stolen goods costs way less than getting sued. This guy should go to college and never look back. Get a LEO job.

[Moonman62]

With lawsuits the way they are, I don’t think they have much of a choice.

[lepton]

The store policy clearly doesn’t cover this, unless there is some sort of addendum beyond the normal stated one.

[Obadiah]

I understand the strong human urge to confront injustice (theft), but if the employer has advised you not to pursue anyone, and they don’t care, I sure as shootin’ ain’t going to risk my life pursuing some undocumented Democrat.

[Bigtigermike]

What a bunch of idiots Best Buy is! I can understand liability but the criminal was engaging in violent behavior and could have harmed more innocent people in the parking lot. If a customer in parking lot got killed and the family found out that Best Buy wants it’s employees to stand there and do nothing for risk of losing their job then that’s a lawsuit coming.

[thefactor]

To discourage SOME shoplifters. And when shoplifters do strike, the guard’s job is to observe and report only.

[albie]

Stop! Or I’ll yell stop again!!

[ImpBill]

The ex-employee was also an Army Veteran. While understanding the the company’s policy in this litigious culture, I can’t agree with the management in not allowing an exception. Especially in that Tyler had been immersed in the training which emphasized “duty, honor, country”. I believe his action was pretty instinctive.

I wish Tyler well in obtaining his college degree and for a great and full life to come.

Thanks for your service, brother!

[SkyDancer]

Then what is the purpose of having a security guard?

[billorites]

"Then what is the purpose of having a security guard?"

To prevent you from leaving without buying an extended warrantee.

[Lurkinanloomin]

The store I work at has the same policy.
Although when one of our employees assisted law enforcement with a particularly uncooperative individual he did not get fired.

[trebb]

Reminds me of the commercials where a bank security guard says he’s just there to notify folks there’s a bank robbery - oh, by the way, there’s a bank robbery happening....

[KTM rider]

I know a guy who (in 1986) confronted two men who cut through the fence at a skunkworks connected defense contractor Marquardt and were stealing computers and classified software....He got beat up bad but delayed their escape until LAPD arrived.

he got some short term disability to recover but Marquardt fired him for "confronting". He said he wouldnt have tried to stop them but he knew they had sensitive software involving military aircraft, not just any loot

immediately after recovering Hughes Aircraft rocket engine plant hired him in at the rank of Seargent

[Hulka]

Thought experiment: The bad guy killed the deputy and running away. The security guard stops the bad guy from escaping.

Should he be fired or not?

[Doogle]

What was Tyler doing outside....was he on his way to work?...or leaving it?...sounds to me he was off the clock...