Los Angeles , California ( CNN ) -- An alarm sounded when Alejandro Rea walked out of a Hollywood Boulevard clothing store earlier this month , signaling that he may be leaving with merchandise he did n't pay for . Rea is deaf , so he did n't hear the alarm or the shouts from a security guard ordering him to stop . The 28-year-old kept walking out of the Forever 21 until he was tackled and placed in a choke-hold by the guard . It was a drama that played out in front of dozens of tourists gathered on Hollywood 's Walk of Fame and near Grauman 's Chinese Theatre . Pablo Rea , also hearing-impaired as are other members of the family , said it was frustrating watching the guard wrestle his brother for several minutes . `` I can see my brother saying he could n't communicate , '' Pablo Rea said Thursday , speaking through an interpreter . `` It was like an immediate attack and my brother went limp and then he got in a choke-hold and became purple . '' Rea 's lawyer , John Henrichs , is threatening to sue the store for using excessive force and causing injuries to Rea , something Forever 21 acknowledged in a statement . `` We recognize that the security guard used excessive force , which is against our store policy and have suspended him indefinitely , '' the store said in a news release . An advocacy group for the deaf wants the clothing store chain to train workers to be more sensitive to hearing-impaired customers . `` We 're making sure that it wo n't happen again , '' said Patricia Hughes , CEO of the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness ( GLAD ) . Video of the incident , shot by Joshua Fountain using his cell phone , has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times since it was uploaded to YouTube . `` His eyes were watery , '' Fountain , from Long Beach , California , said . `` He was practically purplish , reddish , so he was suffering , and he was continuing tapping on the security guard 's arm , telling him ' I 've had enough , I am submitting . ' '' Alejandro Rea has not seen the video , since he has been held in a Los Angeles jail since his August 7 arrest . His court date is August 24 , and he has n't been able to pay his $ 56,000 bond . Instead of a misdemeanor shoplifting charge , he faces felony second-degree robbery . His alleged violent resistance to the security guard and his prior arrest record apparently played a role in the more serious charge , the lawyer said . Rea was convicted twice before on misdemeanor petty theft charges , in 2002 and 2008 , according to the Los Angeles District Attorney 's office said . Henrichs said it does n't matter in the civil case if he was shoplifting , since it did not justify the brutal treatment by the guards . `` The security guard , the same one , when they took him back in the office , threw him against the wall twice and so he has injuries from that and he is entitled to be compensated for that , '' Henrichs said . Forever 21 could avoid a lawsuit with a settlement , Henrichs said , that should include a donation to Patricia Hughes ' organization . `` Maybe they can turn a negative into a positive with donation to GLAD for sensitivity training for security workers , '' he said . Pablo Rea has simple advice for security guards . `` They should have tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention , '' Rea said .
Because he is deaf , Alejandro Rea could not hear the alarm or guard 's shouts to stop . His lawyer is threatening to sue the store for excessive force . Cell phone video of the incident has gone viral on YouTube . Rea 's brother says security should just tap people on the shoulder .