The heartbreaking story of Ryan Pincus, a 37-year-old insurance executive from Los Angeles, captivated many when it emerged that he was fatally shot by a security guard in San Francisco. His family now seeks justice, claiming that the shooter has been eluding law enforcement for over a year. This incident raises critical questions about the responsibilities of security personnel and the accountability of companies that employ them.
On August 4, 2023, Ryan was returning to his hotel in the Union Square area after attending a Giants game. Tragically, his life was cut short when he encountered a guard from Universal Protection Service, who allegedly attacked him without provocation. The family's lawsuit against the security company highlights serious concerns regarding their hiring and training practices.
The case has garnered significant attention, emphasizing the need for greater safety measures for the public. Attorney Blair Kittle, representing Ryan's family, expressed the sentiment that society should not tolerate security guards using lethal force against innocent individuals. As this legal battle unfolds, the implications for security practices and public safety remain profound.
The family of a Los Angeles insurance executive who was gunned down on the streets of San Francisco last year by a hotel security guard claims the shooter has been on the run from police for 13 months, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.
Ryan Pincus, 37, was killed in the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 2023, as he was walking back to the Marriott Hotel where he was staying in the Union Square neighborhood of San Francisco. His family is suing the security guard’s employer, Universal Protection Service. The guard is not a defendant in the lawsuit.
Pincus had been to a Giants game earlier in the evening, then gotten dinner with friends, according to the lawsuit filed by his family in San Francisco Superior Court. But before he could get back to his hotel, he was accosted by a guard with Universal Protection Service working for another hotel on Mason and Eddy streets.
“Over a roughly 3½ minute period, without provocation or justification, [the security guard] verbally and then physically attacked Ryan. [The security guard] escalated the confrontation from verbal to physical, and ultimately ended his attack on Ryan by drawing his gun and fatally shooting him,” wrote attorney Blair Kittle in the complaint.
The lawsuit names the alleged shooter who worked for the security company, but The Times is not naming him since he has not been charged in the case.
According to the complaint, the shooter “fled the scene and has not been seen since despite efforts by the SFPD and other law enforcement to locate him.” Police told Pincus’ father, Steven Pincus, the shooter was on the run, Kittle said.
The family filed suit Thursday against Universal Protection Service for wrongful death and negligent hiring, among other claims.
