Bay Area mother shares son's shooting death at Home Depot to lawmakers in DC

WASHINGTON, DC (KGO) -- A Bay Area mother was invited to present a very personal story to lawmakers, exactly eight weeks after her son was shot during an alleged theft.

Newark mom Lorie Mohs was in Washington DC on Tuesday, where she testified before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.

The topic - organized retail crime and the threat to public safety.

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Mohs spoke to ABC7 News from her hotel room in DC.

"To know that I was going to say this in front of the world was overwhelming for me," Lorie Mohs said.

In April, her son Blake Mohs was killed in a shooting at a Home Depot in Pleasanton.

Police say a woman shot Mohs over a stolen item.

Blake Mohs, 26, was a theft prevention employee.

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Friends, family and co-workers gathered in the East Bay to say goodbye to Blake Mohs, a 26-year-old Home Depot security guard who was shot and killed.

During the hearing Lorie Mohs started her testimony out by sharing who her son was. She also mentioned the judicial system failed the suspects long before the incident.

"The system failed my son. He was asked to do a job with a small wage and a high risk leading to his death," Lorie Mohs.

Lorie Mohs wants more to be done so this doesn't happen to any other workers.

"I would ask if he was provided any bullet proof vests, pepper spray or safety gear and he would again tell me no," Mohs said.

Blake Mohs aspired to be a Newark Police officer. The Eagle Scout told his mom one thing that did excite him about his job was helping local law enforcement track down organized theft rings.

"Because he was all over in Hayward, and San Leandro and Pleasanton and Newark that he would see repetitive offenders and he started to piece together they were all working in a grouping," Lorie Mohs said.

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Mohs said Tuesday was exceptional and she was thankful for the opportunity to share her son's story.

Congressman Eric Swalwell said a few words to Mohs directly.

"My promise to you as the representative for Pleasanton, California where his murder took place is to be an advocate for justice. Not only for Blake, and to make sure that justice is served in this case but that we do address retail crime in this country," Swalwell said.

"I would really like to sit in this a lot longer and fight harder. Because not only does my son deserve it but so does everybody else," Lorie Mohs said.

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