Family of man beaten outside CVS sues store

Alejandro Rios was walking into CVS to buy his wife a coffee when he saw a man suffering from a mental episode and asked if he needed help.

Rios was struck once by the unknown man and fell to the ground outside 2935 S. Hollywood Blvd., according to a lawsuit filed by his family in Clark County District Court.

The head trauma he suffered on June 16, 2021, sent him to the hospital and into hospice care, where he stayed until his death six months later, the family’s attorney, Christian Gabroy said in an interview Monday.

Rios’ death certificate indicates that he died on Dec. 16, 2021, at age 65 from respiratory failure, a probable stroke and aspiration pneumonia and sepsis.

Rios’ family alleged in the lawsuit that negligent security at CVS led to the wrongful death of Rios.

“This is a known criminal activity place,” said Gabroy. “There’s been repeated incidents of violence. It’s very sad they’re not properly occupying it with a security guard and maintaining a secure premises. When you care about the money inside the place and securing that, but don’t care about any of the patrons, hopefully this will make some type of change for anybody else going to the store.”

A CVS spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Gabroy said Rios was in “perfect health” before he was hit. Although Rios’ family called police right after the attack, Gabroy said the suspect has not been arrested.

The Metropolitan Police Department said that no one had been arrested in the attack.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.