Winnipeg police aware of video showing security guard assaulting alleged shoplifter, threatening to kill him

Winnipeg police say they are aware of videos circulating online showing what critics are calling an on-duty security guard’s “violent use of force” while restraining an alleged shoplifter over the weekend.

The Winnipeg Police Service says it only learned of the videos on Sunday, a day after the alleged shoplifter at the Dollarama on Portage Avenue was charged with robbery and uttering threats.

A follow-up investigation by the WPS major crimes unit is now underway.

The video in question appears to show a security guard straddling a man who’s lying on the floor. The guard, who’s wearing an Impact Security uniform, punches the man – possibly using a metal object that resembles brass knuckles – repeatedly bangs his head on the ground, and stomps on him.

“Stay down or I’ll (expletive) kill you,” the security guard tells the man. “Try me. Touch me you (expletive) idiot.

“You threaten me? Who the (expletive) do you think you are?

“The cops are coming,” he tells him.

The security guard can also be heard shouting at other customers in the store. “(Expletive) you. Shut the (expletive) up. You want to go next?”

It’s not clear what led to that specific moment in the interaction, as the video – filmed by someone inside the Dollarama – begins with the man already on the ground.

Winnipeg police have identified the victim as a 46-year-old who allegedly concealed $95 worth of items and was “attempting to leave without paying,” authorities say.

“The security guard, a 23-year-old man, intervened and attempted to stop the suspect from exiting the store, resulting in a physical altercation. Police were contacted and officers arrived shortly thereafter,” police said.

The man was released and is scheduled to appear in court “at a later date.”

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), which identified the alleged shoplifter as an Indigenous man, is asking Impact Security to immediately suspend the security guard and launch a third-party investigation.

The AMC says it filed a formal complaint under The Private Investigators and Security Guards Act requesting an “immediate review of the security guard’s licensing status and the company’s compliance history.”

“This is not about rushing to judgment,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “It is about transparency, accountability, and ensuring that First Nations people are treated with dignity and respect. No one should fear violence while shopping in their own city. The safety and dignity of our people is non-negotiable.

“What I saw in that video is concerning. While we must allow the proper investigative process to unfold, the images raise serious questions about use-of-force practices and how First Nations people are being treated in public spaces. If it is confirmed that a weapon or metal object was involved, that would be extremely serious.”

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) also condemned “the use of excessive and violent force displayed by a security guard against an Indigenous man.”

“What we are seeing is not an isolated incident,” said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee. “It reflects systemic racism that First Nations people continue to experience at the hands of security personnel and other authorities. Even where theft is alleged, violence is not justified.”

The MKO is asking for a review of the use-of-force policies, and an accounting of displayed and concealed weapons used by security personnel.