Staff at a Forever XXI in Los Angeles tackled and choked a deaf shopper, Alex Rea, they suspected of shoplifting. Watch the startling footage and you decide if excessive force was used.
According to reports, deaf shopper Alex Rea was leaving a Forever XXI store when he was tackled by a security guard and choked on the sidewalk. A passerby filmed the incident on his phone and caught most of the altercation.
Alex Rea did not hear the alarm go off as he left the store and was then tackled. He yelped and tapped at the security guard trying to signal that he is deaf. Bystanders yelled at the guard alerting him that Rea was turning purple and that his eyes were bulging out.
A friend that was shopping with Rea, believed to be his brother Pablo, was trying to catch the security guard's attention as well to let him know that they were deaf. He attempted to show another staff member receipts for their purchases.
Since then, Rea was charged with robbery and assault. Police say that there were items within the bags that were not purchased. Rea's bail was set at $55,000.
Forever XXI released a statement declaring that they have launched their own investigation and do no condone the use of excessive force.
Did the security guards go too far?
Terra USA/Marilyn Dominguez
