RENTON, WA – A botched airsoft gun return led to a fatal, tragic incident in Washington state when an off-duty security guard shot a teenager, mistaking his replica gun for a real one. The security guard stated he thought the teen was planning to rob a sporting goods store.
17-year-old Hazrat Ali Rohani was returning a dysfunctional airsoft gun, a replica that shoots plastic projectiles, to the Big 5 sporting goods store located in Renton. Aaron Myers, the 51-year-old security guard who shot Rohani, had purportedly provided his services as a security guard due to growing non-specified criminal activity in the area.
The narrative shared by Myers was contradicted by surveillance footage, suggesting a discrepancy in his account of the events leading to Rohani’s death. Despite Myers’ role as a security guard, authorities revealed he isn’t a law enforcement officer and lacks the required training to prevent crime safely.
Reports confirmed Rohani’s death as part of a gun violence trend that has seen people harmlessly approaching homes or businesses met with gunshot injuries due to misperceptions about their intentions.
According to Renton police spokeswoman Meghan Black, Myers spotted three teens while waiting for his son outside a martial arts studio. One of the teens was spotted carrying an airsoft gun, and Myers drew his weapon and demanded they raise their hands. The teens immediately complied and attempted to explain the gun’s harmless nature but to no avail. Myers opened fire, claiming the situation was rapidly intensifying, and shot Rohani fatally.
Despite attempts to administer first aid by nearby King County sheriff’s deputies, who had heard the gunshots, Rohani died at the scene. Police reports state that the teenagers had only intended to return or exchange the malfunctioning airsoft gun and sought a fix for a magazine issue Rohani was experiencing with the gun.
Based on the court documents, King County prosecutor Leesa Manion expressed concerns about Myers acting upon his self-claimed ‘duty to intervene.’ Allegedly, he took it upon himself to ‘overwatch’ in the Renton parking lot instead of dialing 911 or waiting for evidence to either confirm or deny his assumption.
Myers is facing felony charges for second-degree murder and assault, facing a potential punishment of lifetime imprisonment if convicted.