A security guard was taken to hospital after he was stabbed multiple times by a wig-wearing suspect at a Walmart in Campbell River.
Campbell River RCMP say a man wearing a wig and a medical mask tried to leave the store with a “large quantity of goods” when he was approached by a security guard shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday.
“Oh yeah, there were so many people saying call 911 because he was bleeding a lot,” said Hannah Frayn who was in the store at the time. “There was blood dripping from his arm all the way down.”
Frayn says she saw the suspect racing down the isles with a shopping cart prior to the stabbing.
The guard is a longtime worker at JTF Security Group according to Owner Vali Madj.
Madj says the suspect had been banned from the store and when a security guard noticed him inside she approached him to tell him he had to leave.
“This was a single guard at this point and he showed the knife and said I will stab you, something to those effects,” said Madj.
At that point, she disengaged the suspect and called another security guard.
“And as the guard just happened to be turning the corner he went face to face with him and he barely had a chance to engage him and the individual attacked him, stabbed him multiple times,” added Majd.
The guard was wearing a security vest that prevented more serious injuries but he suffered wounds to his arm.
The suspect then allegedly loaded several TVs onto a cart and disappeared out a side door.
A statement from Walmart Canada reads, “The safety of our associates, customers and third-party security partners is a top priority. This incident is completely unacceptable and deeply troubling. Our associates and third-party security partners do everything they can to support our communities, especially during this pandemic and the busy holiday season. Walmart is cooperating fully with the police investigation to ensure the perpetrator is held accountable for this crime. We would like to thank the RCMP for their quick response. We know this behaviour does not reflect our customers in Campbell River and they will join with us in condemning this assault. Our thoughts are with the security guard as he recovers from his injuries.”
The guard was still in the hospital Wednesday afternoon after undergoing surgery.
Officers were eventually able to locate the suspect, a man in his 30s, without incident late Tuesday.
Mounties say the suspect, who was not identified was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
CHEK News
