Background checks questioned after Edmonton armoured car company killings

The killing of three armoured-car guards last Friday, allegedly by one of their colleagues, is calling into question how deeply security companies probe the background of their gun-toting employees.

Travis Baumgartner is expected to return to Edmonton on Wednesday to face first degree murder and attempted murder charges, among others, the Edmonton Journal reported. He's being held by the RCMP in Langley, B.C.

[Related: Baumgartner tripped up by his own mistakes trying to flee Canada]

Baumgartner, whose sobbing mother told CTV News on Monday that her 21-year-old son wanted to become a police officer, was arrested by U.S. border guards when he tried to cross near Vancouver on Saturday.

Baumgartner was hired by G4S Cash Solutions in April. Company spokesman Robin Steinberg told the Toronto Star that all employees go through an extensive pre-employment screening that includes behavioural interviews and a test that rates candidates for integrity, social and work behaviour and social experience. It also does credit and criminal-record checks.

And employees like Baumgartner whose duties require them to carry a gun need to get a federal firearms licence, which requires its own background check.

But G4S does not look at an employee's social network activity, the Star reported. If it had, it would have seen a June 1 Facebook post where Baumgartner wrote: "I wonder if I'd make the six o'clock news if I just started popping people off."

Baumgartner's Facebook page also includes a photo of himself wearing sunglasses over balaclava.

Steinberg said the company's policy regarding social media monitoring may change after it finishes its investigation of the incident.

"Providing legally we can do so, that may be a step that we add," she told the Star.

Employees are encouraged to report any odd behaviour of colleagues, with a hotline set up to allow anonymous reporting, Steinberg said.

[Related: Accused Eaton Centre gunman worked for City of Toronto weeks before shooting]

Security expert David Hyde told the Star large security organizations should lay out policies around the use of social media and let employees know whether the company intends to monitor activity if the law allows.

Such monitoring doesn't have to be overly Big Brotherish, Hyde said. Programs could be set up to watch for key words or terms that might be red flags.

"It's not snooping or probing — there has to be a threshold that is crossed," he said.

Baumgartner was on a team of five G4S employees making a delivery to an ATM at the University of Alberta's Hub Mall early Friday morning.

Police responding to a report about shots fired found four guards shot, with the company's armoured truck and Baumgartner nowhere to be found. The truck was later found idling near the G4S facility.

Police allege Baumgartner shot Eddie Rejano, 39, Michelle Shegelski, 26, and Brian Ilesic, 35, to death. Colleague Matthew Schuman, a soldier working part-time for G4S, remains in hospital in critical condition.

Baumgartner's parents told CTV News they were heartbroken.

"I have no words…there is no comprehension for this act," Sandy Baumgartner said through tears.

Her son aspired to a career in law enforcement, she said, and had emailed her an Edmonton police application to print out for him.

"He actually had it half filled out…and this all happened."