Video shows altercation between security guards, First Nations teen at B.C. mall

Video circulating on social media shows several security guards at a Surrey, B.C., mall physically pinning a teenage girl to the ground as she cries out in distress.

“She’s a young girl,” a bystander yells as the first two security guards each hold one of the girl’s arms outside an entrance to Guildford Town Centre.

Through sobs, the girl tells the person recording the video that she’s only 16 years old.

A separate video begins moments later and shows several more security guards attempting to restrain the girl.

“This is an Indigenous girl and you’re putting your hands on her? Manhandling her?” the woman recording the incident yells at the guards.

According to the teen’s family, a security guard initially accused her of shoplifting and asked to search her.

They say the girl consented and no stolen merchandise was found.

Her father, who CTV News is only identifying by his first name to protect the girl’s privacy, believes she was racially profiled because she is First Nations.

"Six, seven, eight of them are grabbing her, holding her, putting her down, putting their knee on her,” Sino said. “Like, what is this? They're acting like she's a big criminal or something."

The bystander videos don’t show what happened just before the guards detained the girl.

Her father said she took out her phone to record the interaction and alleges a security guard slapped it from her hand, causing it to smash on the floor.

He admits his daughter then spit in the direction of the security guard – but says the spit did not hit him.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, spitting on someone is considered an assault.

If the allegations being made about the security guard are true, his actions could also constitute a crime.

"Any kind of action where a person is applying unauthorized force to another person without their consent, including slapping their hand to get a phone out of it, could be considered assault,” said Sarah Leamon, a Vancouver-based criminal lawyer.

The security guards involved work for Paladin Security.

“We are transparently working with Surrey police on the events leading up to what is seen in the video and are conducting an internal investigation to ensure the response of our team aligns with our procedural expectations and training standards,” Paladin Security president Chad Kalyk wrote in a statement to CTV News.

The girl’s father believes the guards used excessive force, and thinks they should have tried to de-escalate the situation rather than attempt to detain his daughter.

He worries she will carry the trauma of the incident for a long time.

"On the way home she was very upset,” Sino said. “Crying. She was extremely angry."

Surrey RCMP say the girl was initially arrested on suspicion of assault and then released into the custody of her guardians.

At this point, no charges have been recommended but police say all aspects of the incident remain under investigation – including the actions of the security guards.