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Family of Macy's security guard stabbed to death files lawsuit
The family of the man stabbed to death inside the Center City Macy’s store filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the business. Eric Harrison was working as a loss prevention officer inside the store at the time of his death.
CENTER CITY - Holiday music played on a loop as shoppers walked past store windows decorated for the season at Macy’s on Market Street in Center City. Not far away, in a legal conference room, a grim reminder of a killing inside the retailer one year ago.
Eric Harrison’s mother, Dawn Fobbs, said, "My child died in between the Polo and Tommy Hill Departments and Macy’s hasn’t said anything to me. My son died there."
December 4, 2023, 27-year-old Eric Harrison was working as a security guard in Macy’s when Tyrone Tunnell, who’d been kicked out earlier for attempting to steal hats, returned, and stabbed Harrison in the neck, killing him.
Tunnell, 31, has admitted guilt and is awaiting sentencing. Harrison’s father, Eric Coates, said, "We believe this was preventable. Macy’s could have stopped, prevented our son from losing his life."
Macy's stabbing: Security guard killed in double stabbing at Philadelphia Macy's
Authorities say an unarmed security guard was killed in a double stabbing Monday morning at a Philadelphia Macy's store.
Harrison’s parents, dressed in clothing baring his picture and grasping their late son’s award from police, sat beside their attorney Wednesday as he announced the filing of the wrongful death claim against Macy’s. Eric Zajac, the attorney for the Harrison estate, said, "People were coming into the story with knives, coming in with machetes, coming into the stores with guns. This was going on not days, weeks but months before what happened to Eric Harrison."
The lawsuit alleges Macy’s knew of threats to shoppers and staff but refused to act, including denying workers’ requests for "flak jackets" to prevent stabbings. In a statement, Macy’s writes, "We remain heartbroken about the tragedy that took place at Macy’s Center City. Per our policy on pending litigation, we have no additional comments at this time."
Attorney Zajac said, "He had nothing to protect himself. He didn’t have mace, for crying out loud."
A city police officer, armed and in uniform, stood just inside Macy’s Market Street door Wednesday with red-shirted security staff scattered on the floor. The family said it’s too late. Eric Coates said, "We just want justice for our son and knowing this could have been prevented, I can’t sleep at night."