Two security guards were injured this morning during an explosion inside a bank in north Edmonton.
The security officers were delivering money to an ATM inside Scotiabank at 8140 160th Ave. around 2 a.m. MT when an “explosive device” was detonated, said Staff Sgt. Paul Czerwonka in an interview with CBC News.
There was a confrontation between a suspect and one of the guards, Czerwonka said.
The man was armed and he fled the scene with “money in hand,” he said.
The suspect remains at large.
The guards, both employees of GardaWorld, were taken to hospital.
“The injuries were significant, physically, from what I can see from the photographs,” Czerwonka said.
“There was definitely significant injuries to the male guard, to his head and his scalp, potentially his skull. I don’t know how deep his wounds are, but they’re pretty significant.”
As of 6:30 a.m., a bomb unit and forensic investigators were en route to the scene, Czerwonka said. Drivers were being asked to avoid the area.
“We don’t even have a clue because the bomb guys haven’t done their search yet,” Czerwonka said.
“I don’t believe it was an accident. I think it was a device meant to make the guards, make them not able to respond so they could grab the money and run. I think it was intentional.
“It’s a pretty bad situation. We’re still investigating.”