Security Ofc. Assaulted, Later Died in Modesto, CA - Nov 2017

[mrsolenya.vn]

Security Officer Karl Whitehead, aged 70, died Sunday after Whitehead succumbed to injuries of blunt force trauma to his head. Security Ofc. Whitehead was on duty at a parking garage on the 900th Block of 11th St in Modesto. Security Ofc. Whitehead responded to a verbal altercation between a parking attendant and Don Lacey. The parking attendant observed Lacey physically pushing Ofc. Whitehead in which Whitehead responded with OC spray. The parking attendant observed Lacey punching Whitehead then stomping on his head. Don Lacey, 33 of Modesto was shortly arrested in connection with the assault; with charges now upgraded to murder by the district attorney.

Ofc. Whitehead was working for Cypress Private Security at the time.

Security Officer Karl Whitehead EOW November 11th, 2017.

[Edit] FOX News Article

[wascaptain]

sad news, may he rest in peace.

the oc spray didnt work, .45 would have

[mrsolenya.vn]

sad news, may he rest in peace.

the oc spray didnt work, .45 would have

In one of the news articles (I think it was KRON4 News?), it was stated that the contract was open for officers to have other use-of-force options aside from OC spray.

[Soper]

Being pushed does not justify deadly force. Creating an exigency does not justify deadly force. Trying to intervene when you are physically unable to do so, is a bad choice. Calling for help, telling the attendant to go lock himself in the booth or leave are all good options.

[Consolewatcher]

Being pushed does not justify deadly force. Creating an exigency does not justify deadly force. Trying to intervene when you are physically unable to do so, is a bad choice. Calling for help, telling the attendant to go lock himself in the booth or leave are all good options.

Being pushed does not justify deadly force, but if you are being assaulted and reasonably believe the person us trying to kill you or cause grievous bodily harm then it becomes justified. I think this highlights one of the dangers of using less-lethal force when lethal force tools (guns) are not available. As I've said before, I do think that security guards and other private citizens should always retreat if possible instead of using a weapon, as long as doing so doesn't put others at risk.

[Soper]

Did the guard HAVE TO physically intervene? Would he have been pushed if he hadn't? Why is a 73 year old aggressing two much younger people?

[Condo Guard]

It depends on how his co. policy was worded, or how he was trained. If a person is being assaulted on our premises we are expected to intervene, but there is a sentence that clearly states only if we feel safe in doing so. And this is the problem in America today - 9 times out 10, things will not escalate up to murder, but there is always that 10th time. You have criminals that have no moral sense at all - curb stomping a guard because you got into an argument over parking? This perp needs a life sentence or the death penalty.

As far as OC spray goes, I've read too many stories where it doesn't work on people because of whatever drug they're on. Tasers seem to be more effective, but even then I've heard stories about suspects that had to be tased multiple times and restrained by 3-4 officers to get them under control.

If our society continues going downhill, the days of a single, unarmed S/O on sites needs to end. At least on my site I have ample back up and a cop shop close by. Not a guarantee I'll go home alive each day, but a lot safer than some places I've worked.

And say a prayer for this guard's family - nobody deserves his fate, and they are in much pain this holiday season.

[Consolewatcher]

It depends on how his co. policy was worded, or how he was trained. If a person is being assaulted on our premises we are expected to intervene, but there is a sentence that clearly states only if we feel safe in doing so. And this is the problem in America today - 9 times out 10, things will not escalate up to murder, but there is always that 10th time. You have criminals that have no moral sense at all - curb stomping a guard because you got into an argument over parking? This perp needs a life sentence or the death penalty.

As far as OC spray goes, I've read too many stories where it doesn't work on people because of whatever drug they're on. Tasers seem to be more effective, but even then I've heard stories about suspects that had to be tased multiple times and restrained by 3-4 officers to get them under control.

If our society continues going downhill, the days of a single, unarmed S/O on sites needs to end. At least on my site I have ample back up and a cop shop close by. Not a guarantee I'll go home alive each day, but a lot safer than some places I've worked.

And say a prayer for this guard's family - nobody deserves his fate, and they are in much pain this holiday season.

It sounds like the guy didn't initially beat the guard; he pushed the guard, and when the guard responded by pepper-spraying him he got mad and severely assaulted the guard. He may not have meant to kill him, but if you severely assault a 70+ year old person it's a real possibility.

I don't necessarily think that the days of single guards are over completely, but I think that no guard who is working alone should ever be expected to do anything other than "observe and report". This means not even approaching and talking with someone who appears suspicious or highly agitated.

[mrsolenya.vn]

Did the guard HAVE TO physically intervene? Would he have been pushed if he hadn't? Why is a 73 year old aggressing two much younger people?

I'm sure there were many different ways where Ofc. Whitehead "could have" or "should have" de-escalated the situation.
I would recommend reading up on the news articles related to Whitehead's death on post. Don Lacey was loitering and conducting "suspicious activity" by looking into other people's cars. Where does it say anywhere in this post that Security Ofc. Whitehead is 73 years old and that he was "aggressing [younger people]"? As a guard at his post, he is the agent of the property.

[PhantomX0990]

It's been an issue lately with a few new guards at my hospital.

IDK how it is other places, or if it's similar, but when we have a restraint or a possible restraint situation, it is all hands on deck, literally. In the ED you'll have easy 10-12 people there in a snap if **** hits the fan. A mix of security, off duty police, nurses, techs, doctors, all respond. Hell, I've seen doctors help restrain. We WANT this response. The more hands involved in controlling the situation, the more in control the situation is. Less chance of our people getting hurt, and more control of the patient preventing them from hurting themselves.

These new guards came from contract jobs. And I get it. A lot of the time in contract gigs you're alone. You're the only officer and you have to deal with situations on your own, or it's JUST security dealing with things. We'll be on standby and they'll comment on if we really need all these people. It's something I've tried to drill into their heads, that it's not a comment on us not being able to handle the situation on our own, but it's the situation that this person is here to be cared for, they are a patient, not a punching bag.

People can't be entering situations they think they can handle, but can't.

Some people just aren't cut out for this job. Morbidly obese, sickly, lazy, too old. Some people aren't suited for certain accounts, situations, calls. I remember when I was contract, I helped teach the verbal judo and defensive tactics course, there were guys pushing 60 or higher, that I was FORCED by our company to pass for OC, baton, take-downs. Yes, they COULD do them, but the thing is, I doubt they will ever, ever, be able to do it in a legit situation where someone was actually resisting. Most of them couldn't even get on their knees, or put a knee on a person to handcuff them prone.