Death of Edmonton security guard sparks call to review training, safety standards
Harshandeep Singh, 20, killed in shooting while working a security job
The killing of a security guard in central Edmonton is raising questions about training and safety protocols of the job.
Harshandeep Singh died Friday after he was shot in an apartment building he was patrolling at 106th Street and 107th Avenue — a job he'd been working for just three days, according to a spokesperson for Singh's family.
Gagandeep Singh Ghuman said Monday that Singh took the security job because he wanted to build experience for a career in policing.
"You can imagine for a 20-year-old whose aspiration is to become a police officer one day, the first sight of knowing there's a possibility I can get this security job, he's going to jump as high as he can," Ghuman said.
"I hope this death is not going to be in vain. I hope there's more policies and procedures that come out of this to prevent such losses."
Singh was also enrolled in a business administration program at Edmonton's NorQuest College, where flags were lowered to half mast in the student's honour on Monday.
Watch | Calls for improved security guard safety after Edmonton shooting death:
Surveillance videos circulating online appear to show the moments leading up to the shooting. A person holding a gun, accompanied by someone else, advances down an apartment hallway, yelling and cursing.
The pair appear to shove a man in a yellow jacket through a doorway into a stairwell, and as he starts to stumble down the stairs from being pushed, he's shot in the back. The two people then walk away down the hallway.
The Edmonton Police Service said in a statement Monday that the force is aware of the video, but won't comment on it while the investigation continues.
Evan Rain and Judith Saulteaux, both 30, have been charged with first-degree murder in Singh's death.
EPS said that although the video shows another person present when the shooting happened, the force is "confident that only two individuals were involved in the shooting death."
Provincial Occupational Health and Safety officials are also investigating the incident.
'It's not safe out here'
Andrew Edwards told CBC News that he worked a security job three years ago in the same building where Singh was killed.
He said there were known safety concerns and frequent crime in the area, and he encountered fights and violence at work. He's especially concerned that Singh appears to have been working by himself the night he was killed.
"I can't sleep. I've been really thinking about the dangers of my job and if I even want to return to this job. It's not safe out here for security guards," Edwards said.
Singh worked for National Security Guard Protection Services, according to a Facebook post from the company. It says they are devastated by the event, but unable to comment on an active police investigation.
The Security Guard Association of Ontario is calling for an inquiry into Singh's death, saying it's just the latest report of a serious incident involving a security worker.
"If there was changes to legislation through Canada that mandated at least two guards per shift on a night shift, that may go a long way to solving the problem of lone worker deaths related to security," said association chairman Paul Carson.
A provincial justice ministry spokesperson said the province's Fatality Review Board examines homicide deaths and determines whether to recommend a fatality inquiry only after criminal proceedings have concluded.
In Alberta, security guards can get licensed after they attend an Alberta Basic Security Training course and pass an exam.
Arthur Green, press secretary for Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis, said the course covers "health and safety topics related to professional security, including personal safety and hazard identification as well as response procedures, basic security procedures and communications for security professionals. "
The province licenses security workers and provides the curriculum, but the training is provided by private companies, Green said.
Mike Byrne, founder of Calgary-based training company Scope Safety and Security, said once new security workers go through the initial curriculum, they can quickly end up in the field alone.
"There's such a huge amount of people entering the security industry that don't necessarily have the skills and the training, and some employers don't provide practical training," he said.
"As a result, we are seeing more and more new people entering environments they're just not prepared for."
Byrne said there isn't a single overarching regulator for security work, and security guards have few options if they want to report a concern.
'A very big loss'
Most of Singh's immediate family is in India, but some of his relatives live in Winnipeg — they're now in Edmonton trying to deal with the death, and make arrangements to send Singh's body back home.
Singh's cousin, Navjot Singh Shergill, described him as an introvert with a creative spirit.
"He's my brother," he said.
"It's a very big loss for me and my family."
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With files from Julia Wong, Kory Siegers and Travis McEwan