Security guards at a high school hockey game in Halifax were met with unexpected violence on the weekend when a group of young people tried to force their way inside an arena.
One of the guards was stabbed in the altercation, after the youths were refused entry.
Police responded to the incident at the Centennial Arena around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
They say the group tried to enter the arena but were turned away because the doors had closed for the night.
That’s when police say one of the teens threw a rock at the door, sending glass flying and injuring a security guard.
Surveillance video then shows a teen becoming agitated and kicking the door. When a security guard comes out to confront him, the video shows the teen lunging at the guard and then running off.
Police managed to track down four suspects a short time after the incident.
“Bystanders were able to indicate where those possible suspects had gone,” says Halifax Regional Police Sgt. David Publicover. “Police pursued those suspects and were able to apprehend four individuals.”
Three security guards were sent to the hospital – one with a stab wound. They have since been released.
The manager of the Centennial Arena says security could have handled the situation better.
“When you’ve got 500 kids hanging around, you need proper security,” says arena manager Stuart Poteri. “And the security wasn’t proper, as far as I’m concerned.”
Poteri says the security guards didn’t have enough experience, but the president and CEO of Source Security – the company hired to supervise the game – disagrees.
“For the type of event last night, our security guards were well trained and they have a ton of experience,” says Ron Lovett.
Dan Berry has worked in the security business for more than 20 years. He owns a security company and also works as a certified security guard trainer.
He puts his staff through vigorous training but says the training isn’t mandatory in Nova Scotia.
“From an event security perspective, you can show up with a little bus, open the door, and fire a whole bunch of people in there,” says Berry. “They don’t need to have any training at all.”
He also says Nova Scotia is working to make the training a requirement.
“There would be a 40 to 50 hour program required for all private security and then there will be, in addition to that, if you are going to carry cuffs or a baton, which in my humble opinion should be included.”
Police say the four suspects arrested in the incident have since been released without charges.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Alyse Hand
