Security “Hero” Shoots 60-Year-old For Playing Pokemon

A 60-year-old Virginia man is dead after being shot by a security guard while playing Pokemon Go.

Jiansheng Chen was playing the popular app-based game Thursday evening in a mini-van near the River Walk clubhouse in Chesapeake, when a security guard approached him, WAVY TV reports.

Some sort of confrontation followed, and Chen was shot and killed in the van. Family lawyer Greg Sandler told NBC News between five and 10 bullets were shot into the front windshield of Chen’s van. Chen had no weapon in his possession, police said.

Sandler said Chen lived nearby and played Pokemon Go as a way to connect with his children and grandchildren.

A witness who asked not to be identified told WTKR she looked out of her window after hearing five gunshots.

“I could see the security guard pointing at the car and he was yelling at the guy but I could clearly see that the guy was deceased,” the woman said. “The security guard kind of panicked, started cursing, I saw him pace around the car.”

Sandler said Chen didn’t speak English, but believes the language barrier only played a slight part in the incident.

“I cannot imagine what could have justified shooting through the front windshield of Mr. Chen’s van five times,” Sandler told WTKR TV. “His family is a homeowner in the area. Ironically, he is one of the people security is supposed to be protecting as a homeowner.”

The security guard’s name has not been released, since he has not yet been charged with a crime. The case is still under investigation.

The River Walk Community Association told the Virginian Pilot newspaper that it uses “roving patrol services” for common areas.

The guards, which are contracted by Citywide Protection Services, are supposed to be unarmed. The area where the shooting happened is not part of the association’s property. Citywide Protection Services has not replied to a request for comment from HuffPost.

Sandler told NBC News that Chen’s family isn’t ruling out a wrongful death lawsuit depending on what the investigation reveals.

“It is obviously my client’s hope that an arrest will be made and decided upon and that this person will be brought to justice because the circumstances are just so egregious that no one can understand how this happened,” he said.