Phoenix, AZ – A man who tried to enter a teenage girl’s bathroom stall at an Arizona convenience store was confronted and killed by the girl’s father on Aug. 2, according to police.
Melvin Harris, 40, went to pick up his teenage daughter and her friends at about 11:30 p.m. at a QuikTrip convenience store, according to police.
A man approached Harris’ car in the parking lot and asked for money, according to KNXV-TV.
Harris gave him some money and the man went into the QuikTrip.
Harris was told that the man who asked for money went into the bathroom stall his daughter was using. The teen told an employee, who then told an on-duty security guard.
The man exited store and was pointed out to Harris, who realized it was the same man he had given money to earlier.
Harris went into the store and told the security guard, “he needed to take care of the situation, or [Harris] would do it himself,” according to KNXV.
The security guard told Harris he would handle the situation.
Harris then approached the man he gave money to and hit him in the face, according to KNXV. Witnesses told police that Harris stood over the man, hit him in the face several more time and also kicked and stomped on him.
Harris then left the area. Police were able to identify Harris by using surveillance video to get a description of Harris and his vehicle, according to KPNX-TV. Police were able to locate Harris at his nearby home.
Harris told police that the victim punched him first in the neck. Harris denied striking the man when he was down.
The victim had a broken nose and brain injuries and was taken to the hospital where he later died, according to KNXV.
Harris has been charged with second-degree murder.
