Fort Worth security guard didn't know suspect stole jewelry before fatal shooting at La Gran Plaza: warrant

An arrest warrant is shedding more light on what led to a murder charge against a security guard at a Fort Worth shopping center.

Officers responded shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, to the shopping center in the 4200 block of South Freeway near Seminary Drive, where a man reportedly was using a hammer to smash glass display cases at a jewelry kiosk.  

Police say 31-year-old Tyron Henton shot a suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Deavyn Holt, who smashed a jewelry display case at La Gran Plaza last week and took a panel with gold necklaces before running away.

According to the warrant, Holt entered the mall wearing a black mask over his face and approached the kiosk holding a hammer, and began striking the glass around a jewelry display with the hammer, breaking it. Holt grabbed one felt-lined panel with attached gold necklaces from the display case and fled through the mall toward the exit.

Henton reportedly told police that he heard the sound of glass breaking and looked up to see Holt, who turned to flee.

According to the warrant, Henton told investigators he saw Holt running with a hammer past a child, thought there was a threat, and began shooting: first, three shots inside the mall, followed by two more shots after Henton had chased Holt out of the mall.

Henton told police that he had not seen any property in Holt's hands except the hammer. He also said at the time of the shooting, he did not believe that Holt had stolen any property from the kiosk.

"Henton could not articulate any imminent threat Holt posed to Henton or any other person," the warrant reads.

The warrant states that available surveillance footage showed Holt did not threaten anyone with the hammer as he was running away. Holt later collapsed outside the mall and was pronounced dead.