Two men were shot and killed and a third person injured after a shooting at El Rey, a grocery store on Milwaukee’s south side, on Saturday.
That shooting was between an armed security guard and a man who had been in the store. It now raises questions about what kind of training it takes to be an armed guard.
The family identifies Luis Lorenzo, 36, as a man shot and killed outside El Rey. Investigators say Lorenzo caused some sort of disturbance in the store. Milwaukee Police say it turned into an altercation in the parking lot. Investigators say Lorenzo shot and killed Anthony Nolden, a security guard. Another security guard returned fire and killed Lorenzo.
Brian Dorow is a security expert. His company does not provide any security to El Rey. He is the president and CEO of Secure Resources, a private security company in Waukesha County and is also the former deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security. He says there are no requirements in Wisconsin on the type of business that can hire an armed security company.
"Any business has the right to hire security and you can have that person armed or unarmed,” said Dorow.
He says the biggest difference between a citizen who can carry a gun and an armed security guard in Wisconsin comes down to licensing and training.
"For the certification part you have to be trained by someone who has that instructor certification usually up to the level of a police officer,” said Dorow.
The state requires some basic criteria to be an armed security guard:
- Must be 21-years-old
- Pass a background check with no felonies or misdemeanors
- Have a firearms permit
- Complete 36 hours of a State-approved firearms course
Dorow says the security company which employs a security guard also must be insured, licensed, and registered with the state.
"The company that you work for has to submit an armed security guard plan to the state for their approval,” said Dorow.
But when it comes to how much training an armed security guard gets after meeting those basic requirements, Dorow says it really depends on the company employing that guard.
“The training is discretionary and the company can determine the training. In our case, we are training all the time,” said Dorow.
