Security response questioned after video shows physical altercation at Prince Albert Walmart
CBC
Police in Prince Albert, Sask., say they're reviewing a video shared online that appears to show a security guard slapping a woman during a confrontation at the McDonald’s restaurant inside the Walmart on 15th Street East.
A 19-second clip was shared online, and CBC News obtained a longer video of the altercation.
It appears to show three security guards near the woman, with a man beside her who seems to be trying to restrain her. The woman swears, stumbles and fakes a punch at one guard, then hits his face.
The guard responds by slapping her across the face.
"What I saw was that guard lash out," said Steven Summerville, a retired staff sergeant with the Toronto Police Service who now teaches safety programs to security officers across Canada.
"I can never get into the mind of what a person’s thinking, [but] that technique did not appear in its nature to be control-oriented," Summerville said after watching the video.
In a statement, Walmart said it is aware of the incident and takes matters of this nature "very seriously." The company said it notified the third-party security company involved and understands it will look into the matter.
The guards involved are employed by Allied Universal. CBC requested comment from the company but did not receive a response by publication time.
This incident lands at a time when security guard conduct is being scrutinized more closely in Saskatchewan, after other high-profile cases.
In December, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said contracted guards involved in an incident at Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital were no longer permitted to work at any of its sites after a video showed a First Nations man being wheeled outside in freezing temperatures.
Not too long after, in Saskatoon, the SHA found itself responding to another incident regarding the death of a patient, Trevor Dubois, after an altercation involving security at Royal University Hospital.
Prince Albert city police said officers were called around 8:15 p.m. CST on Feb. 5 for a report of a disturbance. Police said call information indicated a woman was trying to start a physical altercation with staff. Officers arrived shortly after and removed the woman from the property.
Police said they only became aware of the video the following day and are reviewing it.
The video, now with more than 400,000 views on Facebook, was recorded by Cheyanne Morin, who told CBC she was waiting for food with friends when the confrontation unfolded.
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