Men who were shot for allegedly stealing Pokemon cards have charges dropped

Two men who were shot at by police for allegedly stealing Pokemon cards and pizza from a Florida Target have had their charges dropped.

On April 27, one man was killed and two others were injured after police opened fire on them after a loss prevention officer claimed they had put the Pokemon cards into a bag and walked outside.

According to reports, police used unmarked cars to box in 20-year-old Jayden Baez’s vehicle before opening fire, killing Baez and injuring 19-year-old Joseph Lowe and 18-year-old Michael Gomez.

Orlando Weekly says that deputies claim they identified themselves as part of the Sheriff’s Office, but they were not wearing body cams as they had just participated in a training exercise nearby.

Gomez was injured with three gunshot wounds while Lowe was hit six times. Lowe claims that he had no time to respond to the police and was hit multiple times in his hands because he held them up.

OSCO Sheriff Marcos Lopez said that a firearm was recovered from the car after the shooting. Baez had a list of posthumous charges including carrying an unlicensed firearm.

However, the State’s Attorney’s Office dropped charges against the two survivors of the shooting.

“We are gratified and thankful that the Office of the State Attorney has exercised its discretion and dropped the charges. The unnecessary militaristic actions of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office caused the maiming and death of these young men over the theft of Pokemon cards and a pizza,” Mark NeJame, the attorney representing the two men said.

“It is the deadly actions and policy of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office that must be focused on and addressed.”

This is far from the only incident involving Pokemon that resulted in death. On July 15, a Pokemon Go player out with his daughter was shot and killed after a confrontation with a group of “teenagers.”