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Shoppers horrified as store guard dies
Monday, 2 March 2009
Two juveniles were being questioned by police last night after the death of a security guard at a shopping centre on the outskirts of north Belfast.
The man collapsed just yards from hundreds of Sunday shoppers in the Abbeycentre shopping mall on the outskirts of Belfast while trying to detain the youths who were thought to have stolen two cans of soft drinks.
Employees at the shopping centre said they believed the man may have died from a heart attack.
The tragic incident occurred at around 2pm yesterday and police said that two youths are helping them with their inquiries.
Trading continued as normal throughout the day at the shopping centre. An area around the toilets was cordoned off yesterday afternoon — the only obvious sign of the tragedy which had occurred there just hours earlier.
A number of shocked employees stood nearby talking to police officers as they awaited the arrival of forensic officers.
Members of security at the centre, who were visibly upset by the loss of the 57-year-old colleague, declined to comment on what had happened.
However, a shop employee, who did not want to be named, said: “Apparently he was trying to stop a couple of young shoplifters when he had a heart attack. His son, who works here as well, was there at the time so I suppose that is a blessing.
“I really can’t believe this has happened.”
“Apparently the boys he was trying to stop had stolen two cans of Red Bull. It just seems so wrong.”
Her colleague added: “It’s scary. You go out to work in the morning and you don’t know if you are going to come home.
“I didn’t know him very well, just to say hello to when he was walking up and down the centre but he had been working here for quite a while and seemed friendly enough.”
Another woman, who works in a shop just yards from the scene of the incident, said she was stunned by the death.
“It really is terrible. We’re hearing lots of rumours about what happened. First of all we heard that one of the security guards had died and then we heard that he was still alive but then a friend of mine who works in another shop came in and said that he is definitely dead,” she explained.
As usual on a Sunday, the Abbeycentre was packed with shoppers who went about their business only yards from where the incident had occurred. Some stood by watching as the police tape was placed around the toilets.
Betty Smith from Newtownabbey said: “I’ve been told that one of the security guards has died. It’s terrible to think this happened a few hours ago and look at all these people walking by as if nothing happened.
“When you know someone who dies you always feel like your world has ended and everything is going on as normal. I feel so sorry for his poor family, whoever they are.”
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it wasnt neils dad who died. it was grahams dad roy who died its still a shock to me i was speakin to roy n graham 2 hours before it happen as i work in abbeycentre as a cleaner n see them every day its not the same wif out seein roy he was a nice man always made me laugh. R.I.P. u have my repect to granham n the rest of the family
Posted by lisa cummings | 05.03.09, 23:35 GMT
i am totally shocked at the death of roy he was such a nice man i no his son really well, and roy my heart goes out to his wife pauline and son graeme thinkin of you all at this terrible time! to the comments below of him having a son neil he didnt his name is roy cook.
Posted by tina thompson | 03.03.09, 16:09 GMT
Aww im sooo sorry i was told that the person who died was Neil's Father, thank -god its not.
But im really sorry for the cooke family's loss terrible thing to happen to any family.
Posted by Nicole Lawther | 03.03.09, 09:20 GMT
hello cooke family please know that I am thinking of you all and am very sorry for your sad and sudden loss.
Ashleigh Clark
Posted by ashleigh clark | 02.03.09, 20:47 GMT
Im in shock over this, he was such a nice man, always had time for everyone and was always happy in his job. Like the other 2 posters I am surprised that the abbeycentre wasnt closed, how disgusting they couldnt even give the poor man that much considering how long he worked there! RIP my thoughts are with his family :(
Posted by anon | 02.03.09, 17:16 GMT
i can not believe wat i am readin, this man was the best gengle man i have ever meet in my life, i am great friends with his son neil to, who i went to whitehouse primary school with, he was in talkin to me in my work this time last week, sayin how is daughter is gettin married, and how he is so so lucky to have a great family, tears r trippin me writing this, my kids always went to see him as santa and always got somethin free so in return they got him gifts, i will him u so much and i know u have gone to heaven but we all will never forget u, love u always love pamela huntley (cummings)
my love is with u neil and family xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Posted by pamela huntley | 02.03.09, 15:33 GMT
i work as a nurse and have to say my thoughts and sympathy goes out to the family. But i totally disagree with other comments. have you ever tried to evacuate a shopping centre when management and security staff are with the patient?? What about the poor mans colleagues attempting to evacuate a shopping centre when in a state of shock. i have had a colleague drop dead on me and the shock and feeling left behind is unexplainable! just think that the management of the abbeycentre were right in keeping the shopping centre open as they could have run into more mayhem as they tried to evacuate the centre. i also speak from a personal experience on the day that my dad died i looked around and saw everyone going about with their own lifes when mine had stopped. All i felt was anger and so helpless. once again deepest sympathy to all the family
Posted by karen | 02.03.09, 15:00 GMT
Yes once again the mighty "DOLLAR" rules at a time like that the least the management could have done was close the centre for the rest of the day as a mark of respect
Posted by david | 02.03.09, 13:49 GMT
I agree with the other comments about this, I knew both father & son, and think its is an absolute disgrace the shopping centre stayed open after this.
Alot of staff who worked in the shops there knew both of them also, and alot of shoppers knew them well as they are both very friendly. I cannot imagine the pain the family are feeling now.
My thoughts go out to the whole family.
Posted by Deborah | 02.03.09, 13:31 GMT
It’s scary. You go out to work in the morning and you don’t know if you are going to come home.
Life is becoming so upsetting. God bless that poor mans family.
Posted by JMCB | 02.03.09, 13:11 GMT
What a terrible thing to happen! I think closing the entire centre would have been a bit extreme, but certainly something should be done to pay respect to the poor man. My heart goes out to his family.
Posted by Paul | 02.03.09, 13:11 GMT
He was just a lovely lovely man a real gent! He was a real family man and loved his wee grandson to bits. His family will be inconsoulable espeacially he poor wee wife they did everything together walked hand in hand everywhere!
Knowing the family- im also horrified that the centre wasnt close as a mark of respect!!
My throughts are with Neil and Has family
Nicole Lawther
Posted by Nicole Lawther | 02.03.09, 11:45 GMT
It's terrible that people continued to shop whilst this poor guy lies dead nearby. I'm sure his son was horrified. It's not the fault of the shoppers...they probably weren't aware of what had happened. The management at Abbeycentre should have closed the centre...at least as a mark of respect. Never again will I set foot inside Abbeycentre. My thoughts are with the security guard's family.
Posted by Jim | 02.03.09, 10:32 GMT