Security guard fined in Banko Brown killing
SAN FRANCISCO - The security guard who killed Banko Brown has been fined $1,500 for several violations.
Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony was found to be carrying a concealed firearm without a permit during the fatal April encounter at a Walgreens in San Francisco, according to California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services.
This is the first official punishment for Anthony, who was not charged by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
Anthony shot and killed Brown, 24, as he was leaving the store. He had stopped Brown for allegedly shoplifting when the confrontation escalated.
Issued on July 24, the citation stated Anthony was "involved in a shooting while on duty wearing a sweatshirt that did not have bureau-approved patches on each shoulder that read ‘private security’ and included the name of the company by which Anthony was employed."
Furthermore, it stated Anthony was "carrying a concealed firearm in a zippered pouch on the tactical vest he was wearing over his sweatshirt," a different weapon from the one he used to shoot Brown.
Brown's death led to a public outcry over what many said was a senseless killing. In the days following the deadly shooting, hundreds of activists gathered on Market Street to protest.
Friends said Brown was a trans man and an active community organizer who had struggled with housing instability for more than a decade.
Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club issued a statement saying in part, they did not know the full details, going as far as calling this a "murder", but that his death was "tragic and senseless."
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"Banko's murder is also a reminder that ensuring the safety of our trans siblings goes beyond proclaiming our acceptance and love for trans people; it requires us to address systemic issues like poverty, homelessness and anti-Black racism."
The group also said that trans people in San Francisco are 18 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population.
"While fewer than 6% of San Franciscans are Black, more than half of the people imprisoned in San Francisco's jails are Black."