A convicted felon with a long, violent history who was working illegally as a security guard at Walgreens shot and killed an unarmed man accused of stealing sunglasses Sunday night, prompting a state investigation. The 53-year-old guard - identified on a police arrest record as Sam Gwin Jr. - was carrying the gun illegally and concealed it from shoppers and employees at the store in the 3500 block of W. Wisconsin Ave., police said. Gwin, who was held in jail Monday night but had not been charged, shot Alexander Mitchell, 39, outside the 24-hour store, police said. All guards working for security companies in Wisconsin must be licensed by the state Department of Regulation and Licensing, whether they carry a gun or not, said Chris Klein, a department spokesman. Gwin was not licensed, Klein said. Mitchell and a friend went into the Walgreens store around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, his family said. Mitchell picked up a pair of sunglasses and tried to steal them, police said. "The victim punched the security guard one time in the face when they got out of the store ... then apparently the security guard pulls the weapon and shoots the victim multiple times," Schwartz said. The shooting happened outside the Walgreens door. [more] and [more]
- Pictured above: Alexander Mitchell: Shooting victim leaves behind four children