A man that claims he was the friend of a protestor that was shot and killed by a security guard hired by KUSA (Denver) is now suing the station and Tegna claiming “severe emotional distress.”

Steven Wright witnessed the shooting of Lee Keltner on Oct. 10, 2020.

Wright attended the patriot rally with Keltner. According to the complaint, another man approached their group as they were in a plaza near the Denver Art Museum and engaged in a verbal altercation.

Wright is seen standing in between Keltner and the man attempting to de-escalate the situation.

During this confrontation, the complaint says, Keltner pulled out a can of pepper spray.

A KUSA employee and Matthew Dolloff, an unlicensed security guard hired by the station were standing within feet of the confrontation, according to the complaint, which also says the KUSA employee had no “outward identification as press.” Dolloff also had no outward identification as a security guard, the complaint says.

Keltner told the KUSA employee who was recording on his cellphone “to get the cameras out of here,” the complaint says.

At that time, Dolloff reached for Keltner’s pepper spray, and in response, Keltner smacked Dolloff in the side of the head, the complaint says. In the seconds that followed, Dolloff pulled out a gun and fired at Keltner while Keltner deployed pepper spray at Dolloff.

According to the complaint, KUSA “recklessly” employed Dolloff by failing to ensure that all laws, ordinances and regulations were being followed. Some of the allegations in the complaint include:

Failure to determine or confirm if Dolloff was a licensed security guard
Failure to determine or confirm if Dolloff had completed basic security guard training
Failure to determine or confirm if Dolloff was authorized to carry a firearm while providing security services
Failure to determine or confirm if Dolloff was authorized to wear plainclothes while providing security services

The complaint accuses KUSA of being reckless and negligent for failing to disclose Dolloff’s status as a security guard to the public.

Wright is seeking economic and noneconomic damages as well as damages for physical impairment. A jury trial was requested.

H/T KUSA