In the heart of Philadelphia, a young man's life was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence that began with an attempt to steal hats. Eric Harrison, a 27-year-old man, was working as a security guard at the Macy's department store in Center City in December 2023. Known for his strong work ethic, Harrison was diligently working two full-time jobs, one at the U.S. Postal Service overnight and the other at Macy's, with the goal of saving enough money to get his own apartment.
His friendly demeanor had endeared him to his colleagues, particularly the older women at the store whom he affectionately called his 'aunties.'
On that fateful day, Harrison and a colleague confronted a man, later identified as Tyrone Tunnell, who was attempting to shoplift hats from the store. The unarmed guards retrieved the stolen merchandise and allowed Tunnell to leave. However, the encounter took a deadly turn when an enraged Tunnell returned to the store about 15 minutes later, seeking out the security guards. He located Harrison and, without provocation, stabbed him in the neck with a switchblade. When Harrison's 23-year-old colleague tried to intervene, he was also stabbed in the face and arm.
Following the brutal attack, Tunnell fled the scene, even taking one of the guard's shoes before making his escape. He was captured on SEPTA surveillance footage discarding the knife on the Market-Frankford Line tracks as he fled to the Somerset Station in Kensington. Transit police were able to apprehend him at the station shortly after the incident. Eric Harrison was rushed to Jefferson Hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at 11:19 a.m. His fellow guard was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The incident, which started as a retail theft, had escalated to a homicide, as noted by the interim Police Commissioner.
Tyrone Tunnell, who had a lengthy history of retail theft and drug-related offenses, was charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and other related offenses. He initially denied stabbing the guards, despite video evidence and witness statements to the contrary. Tunnell later admitted to police that he returned to the store because he was upset with how the guards had handled the initial confrontation. In December 2024, Tyrone Tunnell pleaded guilty to the murder of Eric Harrison and the assault of the other guard. In the wake of their son's death, Harrison's family filed a civil lawsuit against Macy's and the building's owners, alleging that inadequate security measures contributed to the tragedy. They pointed out that after the fatal stabbing, armed police officers and private security guards became a visible presence at the store, a measure they believe should have been in place sooner.
