Security company shares details of stabbing attack at Campbell River Walmart
The owner of a security company is clarifying the moments that led up to one of his employees being stabbed at the Campbell River Walmart Tuesday morning.
Vali Majd, CEO and director of JFT Security says a 60-year-old guard who has 25 years’ experience was coming to the assistance of another guard Tuesday morning and had just rounded a corner when he was stabbed.
“(The attacker) just jumped at him and stabbed him multiple times,” Majd says. “He was stabbed in the arm, in the upper chest, luckily he was wearing his vest.”
Majd says moments earlier a female guard noticed a 30-year-old man who had been previously banned from Walmart entering the store for the second time on Tuesday. He was ejected from the store, but then came back wearing a disguise and was approached again.
“He showed a knife and he said, ‘I’m going to stab you,’” Majd says. “She increased distance and got on the radio, passed on the transmission to our other guard who came around the corner face to face with him and he didn’t really get time to engage him.”
As the guard was bleeding, the suspect then went farther into the store and began gathering items.
“The fellow proceeded to go on his shoplifting spree, he went and grabbed a number of TVs and went out the door” Majd says.
JFT employs approximately 100 guards up and down the island and Majd says problems like this are occurring at many different venues.
“We make the difference between opportunist people, or people who have mental health issues and then in this case, something we refer to as organized crime,” he says.
He believes merchandise that is stolen ends up online or on Ebay or are taken to fulfil special orders.
“(The customer says), ‘I want a TV and a pair of sneakers,’ and these people go get it and either sell it at a discount rate or they trade it in,” Majd says. “The days of going and selling it at a pawn shop are long gone, because they know better and there are much easier ways to resell these products.”
Majd says the issue is a “complicated landscape” that needs changing.
“It starts with the courts,” he says. “Crown and prosecutors are not prosecuting, for example, shoplifting charges and so people are feeling more bold to take it to the next level and this is where we see the civility element rapidly (erode).”
Majd checked in on the guard Wednesday morning and says he is doing well and is anxious to return to work.
“He’s stable, he had to go through an emergency surgery last night when they realized it was a brachial artery that was hit,” Majd says. “He’ll be out for some time and he’s in good spirits. Hopefully he has no further complications.”
The suspect was arrested by Campbell River RCMP late Tuesday afternoon and was expected to make a court appearance on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.