Dene Man, Darryl Sabourin (45), Killed in “Altercation” with Security Officers at Edmonton Hospital (March 6, 2024)

Darryl Sabourin, a 45-year-old Dene father of four from Hay River, NWT was killed after what is described as “an altercation” with security officers at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton on March 6, 2024. It is reported that Mr. Sabourin checked himself into the hospital for detox treatment for alcohol addiction on March 4.

His sister-in-law Shauna Gordon claims that he was restrained by “peace officers” and believes that they used excessive force on him. Gordon says that staff told her Mr. Sabourin had been restrained by peace officers after growing agitated in the facility’s detox area early that morning. She reports that he was restrained and eventually became unresponsive. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. Gordon told media that when she saw Sabourin’s body, his face was covered in bruises, and a tube filled with blood was in his throat.

Because this death involved private security, Edmonton Police Service (EPS) are the ones investigating. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASRIT), which covers formal police forces had not been informed of the case prior to media inquiries.

Mr. Sabourin was father to four sons, aged 11 to 19. Shauna Gordon is caring for them and tells media they are stunned by his loss. In her words, “They are extremely angry. They’re unable to breathe, just crying and crying in my house. It’s really devastating.”

The family has set up a fundraiser to cover funeral costs and arrangements.

Security Guards Kill Man Over Alleged Unpaid Item (Montreal, May 26, 2022)

A man was killed by security guards at an SAQ in Montreal’s Lachine borough on May 26, 2022. It is reported that the security guards believed the man had tried to leave the SAQ without paying for an item at around 7:00 PM. Security escorted him outside the store where some type of altercation occurred between the man and two of the guards during which the man was knocked to the ground. He reportedly got up briefly before collapsing.

The victim was transported to hospital where he was later pronounced dead. It has been reported that the man was in his forties.

There is no oversight agency for security guards so this investigation is being carried out by the Montreal police major crime unit.

Man Dies After “Altercation” with Trinity Western University Security

A 31-year-old man who was critically injured in “an altercation” with security at Trinity Western University on September 30 has died. It has been reported that RCMP were called to the campus in Langley, British Columbia on reports of the altercation. Police allegedly found the man unresponsive and he was transported to hospital. He died several days later.

Few details have been released publicly, including the nature of the altercation or the activities of RCMP. Interestingly, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken over the case, not the Independent Investigations Office.

Man Dies During Arrest by Richmond, BC, RCMP (May 28, 2020)

A man has died while in custody of RCMP in Richmond, BC, (Metro Vancouver) on May 28, 2020. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), the agency that examines cases of police harm to civilians in British Columbia, is investigating. As is commonly the case in police killings in Canada, publicly released details are limited.

According to the IIO, RCMP responded to reports of shoplifting at a business in Richmond. Upon arrival, a security guard was struggling with the man. The victim was placed in handcuffs before police addressed his being in medical distress. Emergency responders were called and transported the man to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

This was the first of two police involved deaths in Metro Vancouver in two days.

Edmonton Security Guard Sheldon Bentley Seeks Bail in Killing of Donald Doucette

This project has been primarily focused on formal, state, policing agencies and officers and their killings of civilians. Yet more and more policing is carried out by private forces, especially security guard services. And like the state policing forces their members kill. Yet private security is largely unregulated in Canada and have much leeway to act in unaccountable and largely unreported ways.

An Edmonton security guard, Sheldon Russell Bentley (35) is currently seeking bail after being charged with manslaughter and robbery for kicking an Edmonton man, Donald Doucette (51), to death and then robbing him.. Doucette, a culinary chef, was found in an alley next to the Lucky 97 grocery store in the afternoon of July 31, 2016. An autopsy showed Doucette died of blunt abdominal trauma.

Doucette had apparently passed out in the alley in before being approached by two security guards, one of whom was Sheldon Bentley. The charges claim Bentley kicked the passed out victim and stole $20 from him. The guards then simply went back to work.

Doucette’s has been struggling with alcohol for some time, a problem that family members say began in response to the death of his own father. He had been going to Alcoholics Anonymous as well as starting a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. In addition Doucette struggled with epilepsy. His family often worried that that he would fall down and have a seizure in a non-supportive environment.

Security guards exist only to protect private property and profits. They have no special mandate to act in public space.

As a range of private security forces take over urban space (from security guards to business association “ambassadors”) more attention must be given to them. And their actions must be increasingly observed and challenged. Some have taken to Cop Watch like counter-patrols of security guards and private security.