Security guard sentenced for deadly shooting at South Baltimore Royal Farms
BALTIMORE - Kanisha Spence, the security guard who shot and killed a man at a Royal Farms in South Baltimore in October 2022, was sentenced to 60 years in prison Thursday.
In August, Spence was found guilty of second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. She was found not guilty of first-degree murder.
Officers responded to the shooting around 3:27 a.m. on October 30, 2022, at the convenience store in the 1800 block of Washington Boulevard. The 26-year-old victim was found at the doorway of the store with a gunshot to his head, according to police.
The victim was taken to the hospital, where he died days later.
Spence was a security guard working with Maximum Protective Security Agency. She was working at the Royal Farms at the time of the shooting, according to charging documents.
Documents revealed the man walked into the Royal Farms with a woman, and at some point while in the store, Spence asked them to leave.
The man became belligerent and frustrated at Spence before briefly leaving, documents show. Moments later, he returned to yell and approach Spence when Spence pulled out her .9 mm semiautomatic handgun and pointed it at him.
According to documents, the man left before returning to confront Spence.
The woman attempted to restrain the man in the vestibule area of the store. Spence advanced toward the man and then shot him in the head, according to charging documents.
Spence told police she shot him because he "lunged at her."
Documents said Spence was not scared during the altercation, but only when he lunged at her.
Investigators revealed that the man did not lunge at Spence, but just closed the gap between them.
A neighbor and friend of Spence for the last four years—who does not want to be identified—said the suspect works hard to provide for her family, and that this situation has left her in shock.
"I think she was terrified," the friend said. "I've never known her to be violent or out of control or anything. I love her, and I'm praying for her and her family."