Family: Man Killed By Security Guard Was Celebrating Pregnancy News
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - A man is dead after being shot by a security guard at a Westminster apartment complex.
According to Wayne Read with Westminster police, the shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Sunset Ridge Apartments located at 8300 North Sheridan Boulevard at approximately 1:25 a.m.
The man's family has identified the victim as 24-year-old David Ludewig.
"Witnesses reported the security guard was retreating and attempted to get behind cover after recognizing the individual had a weapon," Read said in a statement. "The individual allegedly had a handgun, raised it, and pointed it at the security guard. The security guard fired his weapon, striking this individual."
Ludewig's family said he the gun he possessed was an airsoft gun, a replica of a handgun that shoots pellets or BBs.
Family members told CBS4 Ludewig was out celebrating news that his wife was pregnant with his first child.
"He was taken way too soon, in a manner unfitting of the man that he was," said Ludewig's brother-in-law Jacob Thompson. "They shot and killed him in front of everybody. They brought me and four children out of the house in our underwear, sat us on the front porch, and actually made us watch him die."
"My cousin made a very, very ... a very bad mistake and got an air soft gun and pushed back, in order to make him (the security guard) leave us alone," Ludewig's cousin Johnny Secrest said.
Secrest says it was the security guard who confronted the men after seeing Ludewig urinate near a dumpster on the property.
"He didn't need to shoot a young man who just went and celebrated with his family and friends that he has a baby coming," neighbor Letitia Gaillard said.
Police released a statement saying they are not naming the security guard at this point, or which company employs him. It's not clear if the guard will face charges. The death is being investigated as a homicide, but police are trying to figure out if it was justified.
"If a guy pulls out an airsoft gun, I really got to believe the security guard believed that to be a real weapon, although that doesn't excuse the actions of the security guard," said neighbor Greg Nidy, who came out of his apartment to find Ludewig on the pavement with gunshot wounds.
"There seems to be some discrepancies between what the people around here think happened, and what the police say happened," neighbor Vilma Dallas said.
Secrest told CBS4 apartment complex managers told Ludewig's family they would be evicted in three days. Ludewig's family said they'll be holding a celebration of his life and benefit for his unborn child at Herman's Hideaway in Denver on Sept. 25 from 7 p.m. to midnight.
