Edmonton police will not lay criminal charges in connection with an incident with West Edmonton Mall security earlier this month that left one man injured.
The EPS said it has finished its investigation after interviewing witnesses, staff, WEM security personnel and going over surveillance video.
The information gathered confirmed the man’s aggressive behaviour in the store and that he resisted leaving, police said.
READ MORE: Man speaks out alleging mistreatment from West Edmonton Mall security
Xiaobo Wu says his scrapes and bruises were sustained during his interaction with WEM security on March 3.
Wu said he was attempting to rectify a billing situation with Zara, a clothing store. He said there was a double charge for $79.59 on his credit card. Wu said he came back to the store a second time after he was given a case number by a customer service employee on the phone.
But he claims staff told him to come back Monday. After waiting, he was taken to a back area of the store with mall security showing up shortly after.
“I said, ‘I will leave when I get a refund,'” Wu said. “And then after that, a moment later, they began to grab my arms.”
Wu said he was escorted from the store by four security staff and directed to an outside mall entrance when, he says, things became more physical and he was pushed to the ground, leading to scrapes and bruising. Wu claims that once outside, mall security put him in a vehicle and he was taken to a holding area in the mall where he alleges security took his phone and wallet.
A short time later, police arrived. Wu says he was given his personal effects and told he could go home.
Wu’s daughter Malina Wu said someone from Zara has since called them to apologize, saying they should never have called security in the first place. Malina Wu said she believes that shows her dad was never violent or aggressive.
She is disappointed that charges will not be laid.
“What my family wants to see is justice and just to see that when people do wrong things there will be consequences,” Malina Wu said.
“All of the witnesses that contacted me said that my dad wasn’t being threatening at all, he was just being loud and assertive and just trying to let people be aware of the situation that was going on and that he just wanted his money back,” she said.
West Edmonton Mall did not agree to an interview request last week but issued a brief statement.
“As a matter of policy, West Edmonton Mall does not comment on incidents under investigation,” said Nick Culo, the mall’s vice president of marketing.
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News.
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