Woman charged with assault for biting City Centre Mall security guard: EPS

A 23-year-old woman who was taken to hospital following a bloody arrest in City Centre Mall last week is now facing an assault charge.

She is alleged to have bitten a security guard while resisting arrest on Nov. 7, an Edmonton Police Service spokesperson said. No mall employees have been charged, and none are expected.

Word of the assault charge came on the same day City Centre Mall officials opened up about their efforts to prevent violent interactions inside the downtown Edmonton business.

"We're trying to show that we're not a big, bad shopping centre," general manager Sean Kirk told reporters.

"We are doing what we can to be a part of that community, to be part of that solution and to be respectful and empathetic to the people that are around us."

Several videos of the arrest were posted online, showing some witnesses upset about the level of force security used to control the woman.

The altercation also sparked a protest from the local Bear Clan. Organizer Judith Gale said the woman had "mental health and addictions" challenges. Gale also alleged an "assault" was committed against her by Paladin security guards.

"Whenever there is an uncooperative person, there's a chance for injury," Kirk said of the incident.

"Unfortunately, in today's day and age, everybody's got a camera and everybody's got a perspective. We know that when we see these things on social media, they can be somewhat one-sided."

'WE SEE PEOPLE AT THEIR WORST MOMENTS'

Kirk invited journalists into the mall Thursday to speak about how the mall is spending millions to make the site safe, including training security employees on how to deal with vulnerable people.

In the last six months, guards have also started working with outreach teams based right inside the mall.

"We’re listening in on every call. So any time they’re engaging with a vulnerable person, we’re pretty much on our way immediately," explained Brenna Gavel, a registered social worker with Boyle Street.

"They’ve moved individuals to supports and into housing. And that’s exactly what we were looking for cause before, our security team can’t do that, that’s not their mandate, that’s not their expertise, that’s not their background," Kirk added.

Security guards keep watch at City Centre Mall on November 17, 2022 (John Hanson/CTV News Edmonton.)Jamieson Galloway has been working security for Paladin at the mall for about two years.

"We see people at their worst moments, every day, multiple times a day. And that does weigh on us cause we’re human too and we’re dealing with humans," he told reporters.

Galloway said he and his colleagues have been through specialized training to learn trauma-informed, empathy-first approaches to help deal with unhoused and vulnerable people who often use the mall for shelter.

"They’ve been robbed at the shelter, they’ve been beat up. So they’d rather, I’ve spoken to people, who would rather have frostbite outside than go to a shelter," Galloway recalled.

Kirk is asking for government help with the social disorder in downtown Edmonton that often spills into his mall.

City Centre, he said, can’t afford high security costs indefinitely and he believes more subsidized housing and day-shelter spaces are needed to address the root problems downtown.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson