A security guard who shot a departing customer to death at a Home Depot in Los Angeles earlier this year had a criminal history and a lack of self-control, the patron's family alleges in a wrongful death lawsuit filed Wednesday against the home improvement chain and other entities.
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Carlos Lara Sr. and Francisca Medina are the father and mother of the late 30-year-old Carlos Lara Jr., who was killed Feb. 11 outside a Home Depot in South Los Angeles. The plaintiffs say their Los Angeles Superior Court complaint demonstrates how a cut-rate private security company contributed to Lara's death by employing an unqualified guard who did not follow industry protocols. They further contend that the guard should never been hired or allowed to use a gun.
In addition to Home Depot, the suit names as defendants Citiguard Inc, Metroguard USA Inc, Primestor -- manager of the shopping plaza where Lara was shot -- shopping plaza owners Elsinore Developers LLC and the guard, Ralph Edward Fulton Jr. The Lara family seeks unspecified damages.
Representatives for Home Depot and Citiguard could not be immediately reached for comment. Police earlier said that Fulton tried to detain Lara in connection with an assault and that Lara was shot as he tried to drive away.
But according to the suit, Lara went to Home Depot to buy materials for a home improvement project and he tried to drive away when a hostile group of bystanders surrounded him. Instead of calming the crowd and allowing Lara to depart, Fulton shot Lara in the head, the suit alleges.
"It's unacceptable to cut costs with safety but this security guard company promotes itself as a cost-cutting, lower-budget alternative," plaintiffs' attorney David deRubertis said. "That coupled with the history of problems with the guards at this location should have led to those who own and operate at this location to terminate their services and hire a safer company."
Fulton saw that Lara was trying to drive away to safety, but instead of doing his job and controlling the hostile crowd, Fulton "executed Mr. Lara," according to deRubertis.
Security guards are obligated to observe and report, so any attempt to detain Lara was unnecessary and rather than shooting the victim, Fulton could have relayed Lara's vehicle license plate number to police for further action, deRubertis added.
Fulton was hired by Citiguard or its predecessor company Metroguard, according to the lawsuit, which further alleges that the guard was convicted in 2009 of driving without a license and in 2011 of both a weapons violation and driving with a suspended license.
In 2023, Fulton's live-in girlfriend filed a domestic violence prevention order against Fulton, saying in a declaration that he had punched holes in the walls of their home, thrown a skateboard and lawn shears through the windows and discarded her clothes.
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