CVS Pharmacy said it has terminated its contract with a private security company after an armed guard was seen on video detaining a shoplifting suspect outside a downtown Washington store and appeared to press his forearm onto the man’s neck.
The 50-year-old man, who appeared to be unarmed, tried to speak several times as the guard pressed down and yelled, “Stop resisting.” The man could be heard sputtering the word “choke” and “I can’t breathe.”
“We’re deeply disturbed by the video taken outside of our store,” CVS said in a statement. “This type of force appears wholly unnecessary, regardless of what happened inside. The actions of the security guard, who is not a CVS employee, violated our security policies and practices which are designed to ensure the safety of customers and employees.”
The statement added “the guard will never again work security details at any of our stores, and we are no longer doing business with the third party security contractor that employs him.” The incident occurred Monday night outside a CVS store in the 1100 block of Vermont Avenue NW, near Thomas Circle. It was first reported by Newsweek… LMT Online
