Man pleads not guilty to murder of security guard near Crystal Pier

A 49-year-old man pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a security guard near Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach last month, Fox 5 San Diego and Times of San Diego reported.

The defendant, Brian Mathew McColley, was arraigned Friday in the downtown San Diego courthouse, facing multiple counts related to the shooting of 31-year-old security guard Luis Alberto Quiroz-Arreola, as well as additional felony charges for possession of drugs and weapons, according to the Times of San Diego.

McColley was arrested in El Cajon by the San Diego Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit. Police found him in the 300 block of Cedar Street, and he was taken to San Diego Central Jail on the murder charge and an outstanding warrant for an unrelated offense.

The deputy district attorney described McColley as a “grave danger to the community” due to his violent pattern of conduct and prior felony convictions at both state and federal levels, according to the Times of San Diego.

The case remains pending as McColley awaits further legal proceedings in connection with the shooting and other charges.