Security Guard Who Murdered Pokémon Go-Playing Grandpa Faces 30 Years in Prison

March 6, 2019

A jury in Virginia has recommended a 30-year prison sentence for Johnathan Cromwell, the security guard who shot and killed an elderly Asian man playing Pokemon Go in 2017.

Cromwell has been found guilty of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, PilotOnline reports.

The victim, 60-year-old Jiansheng Chen, had gone out to play Pokémon Go on the night of Jan. 26, 2017, according to his family. Chen was allegedly shot to death by the 23-year-old guard following a confrontation.

Cromwell was reportedly on patrol as a security guard when he confronted Chen for parking in the driveway of a clubhouse in the River Walk neighborhood of Chesapeake.

The guard then allegedly stopped his own vehicle in front of Chen’s van, prompting him to back up and turn his van around to the entrance of the driveway facing River Walk Parkway.

Cromwell then exited his car, said “stop,” then shot Chen with his weapon, court documents stated. Chen died at the scene after being shot four times in his upper chest and once in his upper left arm. The Virginia jury’s recommendation arrives ahead of the sentencing which has been set for June 24.

“The commonwealth believes, very strongly, that justice was served today in Chesapeake,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Nancy Parr was quoted as saying.

“In the end, they’ve lost their uncle, they’ve lost someone they love — they lost their father,” said the family’s lawyer Scott Flax. “No verdict will ever bring back Mr. Chen, and that’s the hard part about any of this case.”

Meanwhile, Cromwell’s family expressed that they will continue supporting him.

“Our agenda going forward remains the same — to support Johnathan in any way we can,” his mother said.

Featured image via YouTube / Inside Edition

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