Police are investigating what appears to be the overnight homicide of a security guard in Vancouver.
The Vancouver Police Department responded at 12:16 a.m. Monday to a report of a man on the ground in the 2800 block of Southeast Columbia Way, according to a statement from police.
Officers found the man dead from what appeared to be homicidal violence, according to police. He was an on-duty security guard for a business in the area. The area, south of state Highway 14 near the site of the former Kaiser Shipyard, is home to several light industrial businesses.
The man’s identity was not released pending notification of next of kin.
KnightHawk Protection, a private security firm, confirmed that the security guard had worked at the company for just over a year.
The guard was making a routine patrol of the property in a vehicle Sunday night, said KnightHawk owner Rusty Rice. Staff checked in with him at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, and then found his body about a half-hour later.
The employee did not have a firearm — his position didn’t require one. Rice said six out of 65 employees at the company are armed.
There have not been issues in the industrial area near Columbia Way during patrols other than reports of stolen truck batteries, Rice said.
Co-workers learned of the man’s death as their shifts were ending Monday morning, and they took the news “pretty hard,” KnightHawk’s owner said.
“He was a very well-liked guy,” Rice said.
KnightHawk said it would make grief counselors available if they are needed.
There are no plans for changes related to how the company operates, as all protocols were being followed when the death happened, Rice said.
The Vancouver Police Department Major Crime Team is investigating. Nothing further is available at this time.
