Man pepper sprayed at Westlake Center suing security guard

A Seattle man pepper sprayed, handcuffed and detained by a Westlake Center security guard as he walked past a protest outside the mall is now suing the guard and his company for what his lawyer argues was illegal and unnecessary.

Raymond Wilford, 26, was walking by the protest on the sidewalk Aug. 9 when a mentally unstable man who had been threatening the pro-Palestinian protesters turned on him, according to eyewitness reports.

Security guard Stuart Hinds, a former Department of Corrections guard working for Valor Security, stepped in and began spraying pepper spray into the air before he pointed it directly at Wilford and sprayed him in the face, according to multiple eyewitness reports.

Photographer Alex Garland, who came to the mall to document the rally as a journalist, said the guard ignored the man who instigated the trouble and focused solely on Wilford, who is black.

Hinds then wrestled Wilford to the ground, handcuffed him, and ultimately forced him into the mall even though the incident happened on a public sidewalk and he had no authority or jurisdiction.

“He had no more right to arrest him than you or I,” said attorney Mike Maxwell, who is representing Wilford. “He instead chose to mace first, handcuff second, and ask questions third.”

A number of protesters shouted at Hinds, telling the security guard he had the wrong man. Hinds ignored them.

But Garland, who captured pictures of the incident posted here, said there was no threat and the security officer clearly singled out the wrong guy.

“The guy that was the aggressor was closer to the security guard. The other individual, the person of color, was further away but he was the one who got pepper sprayed,” Garland says.

Maxwell questions whether the guard’s response was racially motivated.

“I only remember seeing one African American there, and it’s Wilford. I can’t think of any reason why this private security guard assaulted, kidnapped and unlawfully imprisoned Wilford, other than his race,” Maxwell said.

Wilford suffered a serious injury to his hand and wrist causing permanent damage when the security guard threw him down into a chair in the security office while he was handcuffed, Maxwell said.

According to Maxwell, Wilford has only a high school education and can’t earn a living without the use of his hands. And he needs at least $25,000 in surgery to repair the injury, which he doesn’t have.

“We tried to settle this claim with the company that employs the security guard and they wouldn’t even offer to cover the cost of the surgery,” prompting the suit, Maxwell said.

Both Valor and Hinds have refused to comment and have not responded to the suit.

In a statement to KING 5 following the incident last year, a spokesman said the guard was breaking up a fight and gave repeated warnings for those involved to calm down.

“Please know these actions are never done without warning and careful consideration. It is always our goal to try to resolve all situations as peacefully as possible.”