Ex-Marine GameStop worker says he’s ‘extremely sorry’ after reportedly killing shoplifter stealing rare Pokémon cards: ‘It wasn’t my intention’

The Florida GameStop clerk who police said shot and killed a shoplifter who tried to steal rare Pokémon cards said he was “extremely sorry” for the victim’s family.

A somber Derrick Guerrero, 33, spoke out about the deadly shooting of Chadrick Coats, 21, for the first time as he bonded out of jail on a manslaughter charge Thursday.

“I’m really sorry for the family. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen to the family,” Guerrero told reporters.

“It wasn’t my intention.” 

With his head bowed, Guerrero, a retired Marine and married father of two, repeatedly apologized as he waited to be picked up from jail, reported NBC 6.

“I’m extremely sorry for the family,” he said.

Guerrero was arrested soon after the shooting Tuesday night.

He’d been working a shift at the GameStop location in Pembroke Pines when he spotted Coats getting away with five boxes of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet “ultra-premium” cards worth about $600, police said in a report.

3

Guerrero yelled, pulled a handgun from his waistband — one he says he bought for protection after a previous robbery — and fired a single shot, which struck the fleeing shoplifter in the torso, officials said.

Coats dropped the stolen merchandise and ran to a waiting pickup truck, where his girlfriend called the police.

He was taken to a local hospital but died from his injuries three hours later.

Coats’ grandmother said he was a “good kid” and a sophomore at Florida Memorial University.

3

The victim’s family has demanded justice for him.

Security cameras at the GameStop store showed that Coats never threatened Guerrero, police said.

It was not the first time that Coats had been accused of shoplifting.

Two weeks ago, the college student was picked up by the police for allegedly stealing $500 worth of Pokémon cards from a Macy’s in Plantation, reported the station WSVN.

3

He was let go with a notice-to-appear.

During Guerrero’s initial court appearance Wednesday, his attorney said his client had served for 10 years in the US Marines Corps before being honorably discharged.

He was working as an assistant manager at GameStop to provide for his wife and two daughters.

Guerrero had been robbed at work on Sept. 11 and had bought the gun used in Tuesday’s shooting for his personal protection, police said.

In addition to posting a $25,000 bond, Guerrero was ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor and surrender all of his guns.

With Post wires