Truman Jermaine Parks, 53, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to kill an unarmed loss prevention officer during a disturbance at a Five Below store in Cheltenham Township on December 6, 2024, The Pottstown Mercury reported.

Park was convicted in September. He and accomplice Sydney Swain-Parks, 28, were arrested on December 23, 2024. She previously pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and was sentenced to 11.5 to 23 months in prison.

According to the District Attorney’s report, officers arrived at the Five Below to find the store’s security guard with life-threatening injuries, going in and out of consciousness, and lying in a pool of blood. He was transported to Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital where he was taken into emergency surgery and later released.

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and found that the suspect, later identified as Truman Parks, had entered the Five Below three times throughout the day, one of which took place at approximately 4:45pm. During that visit, Parks was seen placing $150 worth of store merchandise inside a store basket then leaving the store without paying for the items and without confrontation.

At 5:15pm, Parks returned the empty basket and was followed by the security guard where video captures the two engaged in a “heated verbal exchange.”

At 6:26pm, Parks returned as a passenger in a blue Jeep Liberty. The vehicle was driven by a woman, later identified as Sydney Swain-Parks.

“Video surveillance shows that they both enter the store and look down the aisles until they observe the victim,” the District Attorney said. “Truman Parks then approached the victim from behind and stabbed him. The victim is seen frantically fighting for his life, attempting to get away. After punching the victim, Truman Parks then runs past the victim and flees the store. Sydney Swain-Parks then calmly steps around the victim and walks out of the store.”

Detectives searched the Jeep’s license plate and learned that the same vehicle was involved in a minor crash earlier in the day. The driver at the time of the accident was identified as Sydney Swain-Parks.

“Through PennDOT records, an address was found for Sydney Swain-Parks, showing Truman Parks also had previously resided at the residence. The PennDOT photo of Truman Parks matched the video surveillance,” the District Attorney said.

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Photo: Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office