A video showing a security guard brashly tipping a man out of a wheelchair at the St. Catharines hospital is being investigated by NRPS.
It was on Thursday that the 21-second video, reportedly filmed by a hospital visitor, appeared in local Facebook groups, showing one security guard appearing to tip a man out of a wheelchair at a bus stop outside the hospital, causing him to fall to the ground.
The other security guard, also engaged in the incident, is seen carrying a pair of crutches, seemingly belonging to the man in the video.
No further information about the context of the situation was provided, and the identity of the man in the wheelchair remains unknown at this time.
The video sparked outrage against the handling of the man.
St Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens called the incident 'horrifying,' and said she had heard from Niagara Health directly, who had apologized for the situation.
Horrifying incident at a public hospital and I urge @niagarahealth to review the private security firms contract and the hospitals policies and any private firm that contradicts those policies in our public hospitals should be internally investigated and dumped. #STC https://t.co/RhT0Nr9hwF
— Jennie Stevens, MPP (@JennieStevens_) November 27, 2020
On Friday morning NRPS confirmed to ThoroldNews that police are aware of the incident and that it is being investigated, but would not specify what, if any, charges were being considered.
Niagara Health said it was 'disappointed' to see the images, and that they were satisfied that the contractor, Paladin Security, had 'investigated and managed the situation appropriately, and they are taking swift action.'
(2/4): We were very disappointed by what we saw in this video and would like to express our sincere apologies to the individual involved and to the community.
— NiagaraHealth (@niagarahealth) November 26, 2020