Macy’s Security Guard in Philly Fatally Stabbed in Neck After Stopping Shoplifter Who Was Stealing Hats

Police allege the unarmed Macy’s security guard who was fatally stabbed Monday morning was attacked by a shoplifter who was caught stealing hats from the Philadelphia department store.

The unidentified suspect engaged in a brief struggle with a pair of loss prevention officers who thwarted the shoplifting attempt, The Messenger previously reported.

The suspect surrendered the hats and was subsequently booted from the property, only to return 15 minutes later armed with a knife, police said.

The suspect proceeded to fatally stab a 30-year-old security guard in the neck. Another guard, who attempted to intervene, suffered from non-fatal stab wounds to the face and arm, WTXF-TV reported.

The suspect fled, but was later apprehended at SEPTA's Somerset Station on Kensington Avenue in the city’s Kensington neighborhood. 

"Just a tragic situation, a few weeks before the holiday, these security officers are just doing their job, they're here to make sure that people can come to this location and shop in a safe manner," Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford told reporters, according to the outlet.

Police did not elaborate on the charges against the suspect.