Scottsdale Quarter security guard stabbed during fight with suspect: police
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A stabbing and fight at a north Scottsdale shopping mall left a security guard and a suspect injured.
According to police, the incident happened at around 12:40 a.m. on May 29 at Scottsdale Quarter, near Scottsdale Road and Greenway Parkway, when a fight broke out between a security guard and a suspect.
During the fight, the security guard was stabbed multiple times in his hip. The suspect, identified as a man in his late-30s, suffered a stab wound to his back during the fight. He was restrained by the security guard until officers arrived at the scene.
Both the security guard and suspect were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect in the stabbing, 38-year-old Marco Antonio Aguilera, was booked into jail after being released from the hospital. He is accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, multiple drug charges, and disorderly conduct. Police say he also has four misdemeanor warrants outside of Scottsdale.
A second suspect, 44-year-old Michael Whitson, was arrested in connection to the incident. He was booked into jail on drug charges and released.
The investigation into what led up to the stabbing and fight is ongoing by police.
An isolated incident?
Scottsdale Police officers relied on the city-owned street cameras to get them to the scene.
A real-time crime center operator tapped into city cameras and was able to see the fight happening. They let Scottsdale Police officers know where to go and what they were looking for as the fight was going on.
"With them having a radio but also being in a struggle, it was super helpful that our real-time crime center operators were able to see it on camera and get those officers exactly where they needed to be to help this person," Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin said.
Help came just in time, but security industry expert Stephen Enteman says the attacks on private security guards seem to be trending in the wrong direction as of late.
"It’s really not an isolated incident, unfortunately. A quick scan of news articles since January of 2022, there have been five security personnel in Arizona killed doing their services," he said
With an overall increase in the demand for private security, Enteman isn’t shocked these violent situations are occurring.
He says they could have an effect on the people entering the industry.
Private businesses can sign up to have their cameras be a part of the real-time crime center.
Area where the stabbing happened: