A security guard in Albuquerque has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly shooting and killing a man accused of shoplifting from a Spirit Halloween store.
According to police, the incident took place around 5 p.m. Thursday at the Spirit Halloween store located in a former Whole Foods building in northeast Albuquerque, as reported by KOB.
Investigators say 41-year-old Chase Beltramo was attempting to leave the store with about $90 worth of unpaid merchandise when he was confronted by Josiah Armijo, a 25-year-old security guard. Surveillance footage reviewed by detectives reportedly shows Armijo tackling Beltramo, pinning him to the ground, striking him, and holding a firearm to his face while shouting at him.
During the struggle, Armijo allegedly deployed pepper spray before firing two rounds that fatally struck Beltramo. Police confirmed that Beltramo was unarmed.
Authorities determined Armijo was justified in detaining the suspected shoplifter but concluded that the use of deadly force was excessive and not legally justified.
“Detectives worked with the district attorney’s office through the night to determine whether this would be considered a justified shooting,” said police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos, according to KRQE. “They found enough evidence to move forward with a second-degree murder charge.”
Armijo, employed by New Mexico Security Service, was released on his own recognizance after a court appearance Saturday, KOAT reported. Court records show he was already facing a misdemeanor battery charge from an unrelated incident last month, in which he allegedly “chest-bumped” a man he had ordered to leave a Dollar Tree store.
Prosecutor Aaron Mitchell told the Albuquerque Journal that Armijo’s repeated use of violence while on duty raises serious concerns.
“I think the safest thing for this community would be for him to never again possess a firearm or serve as a security guard,” Mitchell said. “We’re looking at two cases, less than a month apart, showing violent behavior while he’s on the job.”