A 49-year-old man suspected of shooting and killing an unarmed security guard on duty at Crystal Pier appeared in court Friday to face charges. Brian Mathew McColley pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in the killing of 31-year-old Aberto Quiroz-Arreola, who was shot in the early-morning ho urs of Oct. 5 while working as an unarmed security guard at Crystal Pier. “Employees of a nearby bar heard gunshots and ran outside,” said SDPD acting Lt. Christopher Leahy. They found a man who was critically injured and began first-aid. Paramedics took Quiroz-Arreola to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Quiroz-Arreola left behind an 8-year-old daughter and his partner, who told NBC San Diego Quiroz-Arreola was a loving father and dedicated worker who took pride in helping others. “He was just doing his job. I know him. He loved his job. He took it very, very serious,” Viviana Gonzalez said. The shooter “took a very good guy. My daughter doesn’t get to walk with [Quiroz-Arreola] down the aisle. Just ripped him away from us.” Related Stories Pacific Beach Oct 8 Heartbroken family pleads for justice after fatal Crystal Pier shooting Pacific Beach Oct 7 Police ID unarmed security guard fatally shot at Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach Gonzalez recalled learning from a news report about a shooting at Crystal Pier. She rushed to the scene and learned Arreola had been shot. Employees from the nearby 710 Beach Club had rushed to help Arreola after the gunfire, but they were unable to save his life. Witnesses who chased after the shooter said the person fled northbound, either on foot or by getting into a vehicle on Ocean Boulevard. McColley was arrested Tuesday afternoon in El Cajon. In addition to the murder charge, McColley was also arrested on a warrant violation for an unrelated offense, San Diego police said. The motive for the shooting was not clear, prosecutors said the two did not know each other. Prosecutors also said McColley had a criminal history with multiple armed robberies of banks. Anyone with information about the fatal shooting was urged to call the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. City News Service contributed to this report. ...read more read less