Security Guard's Death at Construction Site was a Homicide - KNBC-TV
A security guard found unconscious Friday at a church construction site in Cypress died at a hospital, and his death was being investigated as a homicide, police said.
After a rash of recent attacks in the Palm Springs area, local television news station KESQ-TV is highlighting the increase in assaults and attacks on private security officers in the Coachella Valley.
The article on the TV news website says, in part:
Police say it's becoming a disturbing trend -- security guards being threatened and attacked by criminals.
Two security companies in the desert NewsChannel 3 spoke to both agree that security guards are being targeted more now than ever.
They say it's because of a lack of respect for what these men and woman do. What they're doing, they say, is trying to protect the community.
In May, two Bower Security guards were shot while patrolling a shopping center in Cathedral City.
On June 9th, a 66-year-old security guard was protecting a housing development when he was pulled from his car and beaten to death.
And just this past weekend, a security guard patrolling Time Waner Cable in Desert Hot Springs was carjacked.
CALSAGA wants to know whether members believe this is a growing problem throughout California, or isolated to the Palm Springs area. CALSAGA has considered sponsoring legislation to increase penalties for attacking a security officer, and as a possible interim, to require BSIS to keep statistics to show whether attacks on private security are increasing.
Let us know your thoughts and experience on this issue. Please clink on the comments link below and tell us whether you are experiencing an increase in attacks on your officers, and what you think about possbile legislation to address this problem.
In Sunday's and this morning's Daily News clips, you will see stories of a San Diego KMart security officer (and active duty Navy sailor) who was killed in the line of duty this weekend. However, we noticed this passage in the article:
While not typically considered as dangerous as police work, security jobs can be treacherous. Newspaper archives show at least 11 security guards have been killed while on duty in San Diego County since 1986. They were guarding casinos, apartment buildings, hotels and bars.
If this is accurate, and even if it reflects all of the security officer deaths in San Diego (assuming none were not reported by the papers), it reflects a security officer killed in the line of duty once a year in San Diego. And since San Diego represents roughly 10% of California's population, that would mean roughly ten security officers killed in California in an average year.
While there are obviously some assumptions built into this calculation, it shows that security officers face an increasingly difficult and dangerous world.
CALSAGA has held some early internal discussions on how to protect our officers with legislation to address those who assault, attack, injure or kill a security officer. As these discussions progress, we will keep you informed. But if you have any thoughts on the topic, please post them here.
Security guard killed at Ramona Kmart - San Diego Union Tribune
A security guard at a Ramona Kmart was shot dead while chasing a shoplifter into the parking lot today, authorities said.
The guard apparently confronted a shoplifter about 3 p.m., and a struggle ensued, said Sheriff's homicide Lt. Dennis Brugos.
The shoplifter pulled out a gun and shot the security guard in front of the Kmart's garden shop, Brugos said. He said customers took the gunman into custody and called authorities. The security guard was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ramona resident Aaron Abrahamsen, 13, witnessed the commotion. "I was just walking into the garden shop, looking for a friend, and I heard four loud shots that I thought were firecrackers," Abrahamsen said.
"They seemed to be near the front of the shop. Tons of employees came running in," shouting that someone had been shot, he said. A few minutes later, Abrahamsen said he walked outside and saw paramedics trying to revive a white man.
Deputies cordoned off the parking lot area at the store, including the Los Rancheros restaurant, on Main Street near Pala Street for more than three hours.
We regret to inform you that Security Officer Wallace Brown of Bowers Security, who was brutally attacked a few nights ago while working construction security in Palm Springs, passed away late last night.
Mr. Bowers, a 66 year-old ex-Marine, was attacked by members of the Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang.
As reported by the Palm Springs Desert Sun, the website of KTLA-TV Channel 5, and KESQ-TV Channel 3, the Riverside County District Attorney's office has upgraded the charges against the two 18 year old and two 17 year old attackers to murder.
The CALSAGA Security Officer Memorial Fund will be contacting Bowers Security and the family or Mr. Brown to offer assistance.
In Monday's private security news clips, we posted an article about a Palm Springs security officer who was severely wounded while on duty. The officer, Wallace Brown of Bowers Security, is a former Marine who was working construction security ion Palm Springs. The alleged attackers were all associated, according to police, with the Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang.
There are two new articles today updating us on the status of the officer and the investigation:
Police arrest four in beating of security guard - Riverside Press-Enterprise
Police have arrested four young men in connection with the beating of a 66-year-old security guard that left him with major head trauma.
During a news conference Monday morning Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron said authorities will use all resources available to prosecute the four males whom he described as being members of or associated with the Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang, a Palm Springs gang.
Suspects in security guard beating members of Palm Springs gang - Palm Springs Desert Sun
Zero tolerance was the message from the Palm Springs Police Department today.
Within 26 hours of the brutal beating of 66-year old Wallace Brown, a Bowers security guard, police had arrested four suspects believed to be in the Palm Springs based Northside Gateway Posse Crips gang.
CALSAGA will continue to keep members updated on the status of this assault, and the CALSAGA Memorial Fund will contact Bowers to determine if we can be of assistance with medical bills.
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