From the "We have rules for a reason" file

Let this be a lesson to anyone thinking of going to the mall with their pants falling off.

http://www.wftv.com/news/26918881/detail.html

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- An Orange County family claims security guards chased their son to his death. The guards admitted it was because of the teen's clothes.

The family of Raheem Key is suing Valor Security and Simon properties because they claim the security guards chased their son into traffic where he was killed.

The crash happened in June near the Waterford Lakes Town Center in East Orange County.

The family is suing for $20 million, and the Florida Highway Patrol released audio recordings from when they interviewed the security guards about that chase.

"I ran over somebody! I ran over somebody! He ran out of nowhere," said the 911 caller to the operator.

The driver of an SUV had no time to stop when 15-year-old Raheem Key ran into Waterford Lakes Parkway. He was running from two security guards on a golf cart, who work for Valor Security and patrol the Waterford Lakes Town Center.

"I couldn't believe that he actually died because of a pair of pants," said Key's grandmother Carolyn Franks.

The Florida Highway Patrol interviewed both security guards and their supervisor. The guards said they were after Key because they warned him several times that he was in violation of the mall's dress code.

"What kind of dress code was is that he violated?" asked an FHP investigator.

"Basically, his pants were below or sagging where his underwear were showing and that's not allowed on property," answered a security guard.

"Do you know what your policy is on chasing?" the investigator asked.

"The policy on chasing for Valor is that we're not supposed to, unless it's some sort of life-threatening thing," the guard replied.

"There's not a security agency in the state of Florida that would authorize chasing a child under these circumstances," said Key's family member Tyrone King.

The family believes the teenager was scared and running home. He lived in nearby apartments.

Let that be a lesson to punks that can't find a belt. If I see your boxers you may die.
It sucks that he is dead but I hope the family doesn't get a dime. The kid ran, they chased him. They didn't "chase him into traffic", he ran into traffic. Something his parents should have told him about 14 years ago.
Now what I find most surprising is that the mall cops have a rule that you don't chase unless it's life threatening? Man, I'm going to that mall to shop-lift. As long as I can walk faster than the cops I am good because they can't chase me?

Lots of missing info from that story. They weren't chasing him because his pants were hanging. I'd wager that unpleasant words were exchanged between both parties, and a chase ensued from that.

I would think if his pants were hanging that low he wouldn't be able to run very fast. Short steps and all. I'm just sayin.

It's sad the kid died. He did something stupid and paid the dearest of prices.

It's sad the security guards may have violated company policy which may leave them and their employer accountable.

It's saddest that the kid's parents apparently had no rules for him, or didn't apply them in any way he'd follow them.

sad as it may be... at least we know that Darwin's theory on survival of the fittest does work

In reply to wbjones:

If the pants don't fit, you can't convict?

Fourteen year old kid, was he a knucklehead? Yeah but that's par for that age shouldn't be a death sentence. Security guards, were they knuckleheads? Yes, and they were being paid to be responsible adults & to PROTECT life & property. Sue them ,sue the idiots that hired the idiots.

Wow, lots of judgemental comments here. I think the whole "pants around the thighs, boxers showing" is stupid, but that's hardly deserving of death. It's just a stylistic choice. Like, say, men with long hair in the '60s. Or women wearing trousers in the '20s. Just because this guy followed some sort of numb-tarded fashion idea doesn't mean he deserved to get run to his doom by some rentacops.

That said, I'm sure there was more to it than just violating a "dress code", but probably not a lot more...

Jay wrote: Wow, lots of judgemental comments here. I think the whole "pants around the thighs, boxers showing" is stupid, but that's hardly deserving of death. It's just a stylistic choice. Like, say, men with long hair in the '60s. Or women wearing trousers in the '20s. Just because this guy followed some sort of numb-tarded fashion idea doesn't mean he deserved to get run to his doom by some rentacops. That said, I'm sure there was more to it than just violating a "dress code", but probably not a lot more...

I agree with you here, but to me the issue at hand is that he should have stopped for the security guards, and it isn't their fault he ran into traffic. If they are chasing him, he is leading, he is deciding where the chase goes.

I was once dispatched to a shooting scene where a kid was shot in the ass. There was no hole in his pants cuz he was bustin a sag.

I'm not a big fan of suing but in this case I agree with Mr Peopleeater. What did a 14 say or do beyond having baggy pants that needed two adults to chase him in golfcarts? I'm glad that some of the stupid things I did at 14 can't be used against me now.

Oh snap, that article is WAY different!

Sags are a convict thing so he was emulating convicts and acting like one too.

Had drugs on him? Whole different story.

But that's nowhere near as inflammatory as "Rent-a-pigs kill kid for wearing low pants!"

Racer1ab wrote: But that's nowhere near as inflammatory as "Rent-a-pigs kill kid for wearing low pants!"

Oh absolutely!

I have a friend that is a Tampa cop. They love punks with saggy pants because even the fat cops can outrun them.

carguy123 wrote: Sags are a convict thing so he was emulating convicts and acting like one too.

is that to make the "all the sex you want" idea of prison easier ?

wbjones wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Sags are a convict thing so he was emulating convicts and acting like one too.

is that to make the "all the sex you want" idea of prison easier ?

No, they aren't allowed belts and prison uniforms aren't tailored.

carguy123 wrote:

wbjones wrote:

carguy123 wrote: Sags are a convict thing so he was emulating convicts and acting like one too.

is that to make the "all the sex you want" idea of prison easier ?

No, they aren't allowed belts and prison uniforms aren't tailored.

I was just laughing at your "sags are a convict thing" ... etc...

He didn't die because he was wearing baggy pants. He didn't even die because the authorities were chasing him. He died because he ran. Into traffic. Two dumb moves at once.

Kid was being a kid, Mall Cops were doing their job. Man up, suing someone for money isn't going to bring your kid back.

is there an echo in here?

How do they put a price on the life of their son? Is the money going help them heal? We live in a sue-happy nation.