It seems like security guards are being attacked more often. Consider these events from the past week.
Thursday August 25
A security guard working at the Family and Social Services building in Gary, Indiana was beaten with a hammer and robbed of a bag containing a handgun.
Saturday August 27
A security guard in Williamsburg, Virginia, near the campus of William and Mary, was shot after he escorted a man from a restaurant.
Sunday August 28
A Pontiac, Michigan security guard working at a Salvation Army warehouse was robbed, beaten, tied up and thrown into an industrial trash compactor.
Monday August 29
A Houston-area Brinks security guard, David Guzman, was ambushed and fatally shot while loading an ATM.
Monday August 29
A man robbed a 7-Eleven store in Jacksonville, Florida while holding a security guard at gunpoint.
Tuesday August 30
In Atlanta, 59-year-old Edmund Garey was shot while sitting inside his security shack at an apartment complex. The shot came from the complex he was protecting.
Security Guards: A Risky Profession
Nobody ever said that working security was a safe job. Protecting property from would-be thieves is inherently dangerous. But it seems that attacks on security guards are becoming more prevalent.
A quick internet search for the annual number of violent attacks on security guards in past years provided no results. It seems that this is not a metric that has been tracked in the past, or is easily accessible.
Attacks on the Rise?
Without past data it’s difficult to say whether or not attacks on security personnel are increasing, yet that is the perception. Perhaps it is a side-affect of the recent police shootings. Or it could be the result of the violent times we live.
Whatever the true answer might be, violent incidents against security officers are happening with some regularity. Consider the six events listed above. Each happened within the past six days in the United States.
A non-scientific survey of news stories in August shows that were about 18 violent attacks on security guards across the country. Included in that number are incidents that either wounded or killed guards that included stabbings, beatings, shootings and one biting.
Attacks on security officers are not limited to the U.S., either. Similar attacks are happening throughout the world.
Security is a risky profession. The guards at American Security Force put their health and their lives on the line to protect property, businesses, employees and families. Reach out to us by calling 877-722-8585 to see how we can help you.
