A Calgary man says he began recording a recent experience he had at a local Walmart after he says he was closely followed by a security guard.
Jean Ventose, a 21-year-old University of Calgary student, says he picked up a pair of headphones from the electronics department when he noticed a security guard was following him.
“I felt so uncomfortable and I thought, ‘Why is this person following me? What did I do wrong?’” Ventose told CTV Calgary.
The security guard told Ventose that he had to pay for the headphones before he left the electronics department. Ventose began recording the exchange on his phone.
Since being posted on Facebook, the video of the exchange has been seen nearly one million times.
According to Ventose, he was upset because there were no visible signs that said he had to purchase the headphones in the electronics department.
The security guard can be seen shielding her face in the video when Ventose pulls out his phone, saying, “You can’t take my picture, that’s against policy.” Ventose then asks her to stop following him, but the security guard continues.
At another point in the video, the security guard tells him, “Don’t yell in my store,” after Ventose tries to get the attention of others in the Walmart.
Ventose eventually gets the manager’s attention who tells him he can continue shopping.
“I honestly don’t know how to feel about it,” said Ventose. “I’m still confused, my emotions are honestly everywhere so I can’t really tell you how I feel right now.”
Ventose does mention race in the video saying, “You see a black person with dreads and you feel some type of way,” but says he doesn’t know if the incident was racially motivated.
“I can’t say for sure because she never made any racial remark, she never said anything racist,” said Ventose.
Walmart Canada says the policy of having to pay for items before leaving certain departments varies from store to store. The company adds it will not comment on their security procedures or the video until Ventose contacts the company.
Ventose said he did buy the headphones before leaving the store and plans to complain to Walmart.
With a report from CTV Calgary's Shaun Frenette
