PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The family of a Macy’s security guard who was stabbed to death last month inside the Center City department store while on duty has filed a civil lawsuit against the building’s ownership and management.
Eric Harrison, 27, was on duty as a loss prevention officer at Macy’s Center City on Dec. 4, when he and another guard ejected a man caught stealing hats at the store. Police say that man, who they identified as 30-year-old Tyrone Tunnell, returned to the store with a switchblade knife. Authorities say Tunnell sought out Harrison and the other guard, then stabbed them. Harrison died after being stabbed in the neck, while the other guard was hospitalized after being stabbed in the face and arm.
While Tunnell has been charged with Harrison’s murder, the guard’s family is also seeking civil justice for his death. They’ve filed a lawsuit against Macy’s Retail Holdings, LLC, as well as owners and building management companies including Amerimar Realty Company and Amerimar Enterprises, Inc, Rubenstein Partners, 1301 Chestnut Property Owner, LLC, Wanamaker Market, LLC and RPO Property Management.
“In Pennsylvania, it’s a little funny because you can not say either in your court filing or even in front of a jury exactly how much you are requesting, but it is our expectation that it will be in the many of millions of dollars,” said attorney Eric Zajac, one of the lawyers representing Harrison’s mother Dawn Fobbs and father Eric Coates.
Police say there were more than 200 criminal incidents in the department store last year.
The family also wants to know who leaked the surveillance tape of the attack, which was seen on social media, and they want to know if a safety and security assessment was ever done at the Macy’s location.
“We were robbed of grandchildren,” said Coates, who wore a light blue hoodie with his son's face on it. “We were robbed to see the full transition of him becoming a man. We were robbed of hearing his voice again, of his silly laugh. His sisters were robbed of having a brother, they were robbed of a role model.”
A Macy’s spokesperson told KYW Newsradio, “We remain heartbroken about the tragedy that took place at Macy's Center City. Our hearts go out to the Harrison family during this difficult time. Per our policy on pending litigation, we have no additional comments at this time.”