Jury awards $21M to family of man killed by Portland security guard

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – An Oregon jury awarded over $21 million to the family of a man who was shot and killed by a private security guard outside of a Portland Lowe’s store in 2021.

The award for the wrongful death lawsuit comes after the security guard, Logan Gimbel , was sentenced to life in prison in May 2023 for the death of 49-year-old Freddy Nelson Jr. Gimbel was convicted of several charges including second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of using tear gas or mace for Nelson’s murder.

The incident occurred in a shared parking lot near Lowe’s in Portland’s East Columbia neighborhood on May 29, 2021, when Nelson was gathering his belongings in his truck as his wife Kari Nelson headed to the store’s garden section, according to court documents.

Gimbel — an on-duty security guard hired to patrol businesses in the Delta Park area — parked his vehicle behind Nelson’s truck, blocking them from leaving, court documents alleged.

Kari got back in the truck after hearing a confrontation between the men, in which Gimbel allegedly told Nelson he was going to arrest him. Court documents stated that after the couple got back in the truck and locked the doors, Nelson pepper sprayed the couple through a window then fired four shots at Nelson.

According to the complaint, Portland developer TMT Development hired armed security guards through Cornerstone Security Group, who hired several people — including Gimbel — who were not certified to carry guns.

The complaint noted that after a “personal dispute” between Nelson and agents with the security company, security guards were instructed to harass and follow the Nelsons when they were in the area.

In a statement, attorney Tom D’Amore, representing the estate of Nelson Jr., and Kari Nelson said, “The jury’s verdict holds TMT Development and Cornerstone Security accountable for fostering a culture of violence that directly led to the tragic and needless shooting of Freddy Nelson Jr. This decision makes clear that the defendants’ confrontational policies and reckless practices will not be tolerated in our community. While nothing can erase the pain of the Freddy’s death, we are proud to have achieved a measure of justice for the Nelson family.”

The defendants from Cornerstone Security Group, including Gimbel, were ordered to pay the $21 million to Nelson’s estate, according to court documents filed Tuesday.

KOIN 6 News reached out to attorneys representing TMT Development, Cornerstone Security Group, Lowe’s and Logan Gimbel. This story will be updated if we receive a response.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.