Milwaukee man killed in Houston by security guard

MILWAUKEE---A Milwaukee family is breaking their silence after a man is shot dead by mall security.

The shooting happened in Houston on September 3rd.

The family of 45-year-old Larry Earl Johnson said he was a truck driver who moved to Houston in February to look for work.

Mary Lyons remembers the eerie conversation she had with her son days before he was shot and killed.

\"I'll send you a ticket. I said, before you fool around and get killed, come home. That's what I told him. He said, 'Oh mom I'll be fine if they don't kill me,'\"said Lyons.

Johnson was shot and killed in the early morning hours on September 3rd by a Houston mall security guard.Houston police say he was sleeping behind a store and became aggressive when a guard asked him to leave. According to police, the guard called 911, and when a police officer arrived Johnson  punched the officer in the face and attempted to strike the guard. That's when the guard shot him once and killed him. The shooting is being treated as an in-custody investigation.

Lyons suspected there were times when he was homeless.

\"I don't want people to think he was thrown away, because he wasn't. He has a loving family,\" said Lyons.

She said she didn't find out about his death until September 16th. The medical examiner told her it's because he had no identification on him. Lyons said she has a hard time believing that because he carried a backpack with identification with him. The family was also told they can't identify the body. The medical examiner told her everything must be arranged through a funeral home.

Johnson's little sister Tonya Lyons is now left searching for justice and strength.  \"I mostly feel bad for my mom, because she is already sick.  She's not really getting answered.  The man might get to walk away free,\" said Lyons.

Houston police tell us the case has been handed over to the Harris County District Attorney.



We reached out to the security company, Allied Barton. A spokesperson for the company told us the guard is no longer employee with the company.