In an absolutely terrible tragedy, a Missouri family is suing Starbucks after a patron was killed while trying to prevent a tip jar robbery.

According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Roger Kreutz was ordering coffee from a Crestwood Starbucks on March 3, 2008 when he witnessed a 19-year-old thief snatch the barista tip jar from the counter.

The Dispatch reported that Kreutz chased the man, later identified as Aaron Poisson, out of the coffee shop and the two had a physical altercation near the thief's car. Kreutz was thrown to the ground after Poisson, in his rush to escape, hit him with his car.

Kreutz later died from head injuries related to the incident.

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Poisson, of Cumming, Ga., was later arrested in St. Louis, and eventually pleaded guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to one year in prison.

Now, Kreutz' family has filed a wrongful-death suit against the coffee giant, blaming Starbucks for inviting criminal activity by leaving tip jars near customers.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by the Dispatch, Starbucks "did not employ security to prevent the perpetration of such crimes" and that it "invited the act of perpetration of said crime" by having a tip jar.

Starbucks has not come forward with a comment regarding the lawsuit. Poisson is also not named in the lawsuit.