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A woman whose violent confrontation with a security guard drew widespread reaction in Saskatoon has been convicted of theft under $5,000 and assault.

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Woman violently detained by Saskatoon grocery store guard convicted of theft, assault Back to video

Annette Custer was charged in April 2021. Court heard during her trial that she put a beef roast in her bag while in the FreshCo grocery store at 33rd Street and Avenue C North, then purchased some other items and exited the store without paying for the roast.

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Bystander Jade Acikahte recorded a nine-minute video showing the altercation that ensued between Custer and Cameron McMillan, a loss prevention officer working for a company contracted by the store.

Acikahte told the StarPhoenix she began filming after McMillan threw Custer to the ground  “with her arms still behind her back so she couldn’t brace herself for the fall.”

The video shows Custer at one point breaking free of McMillan’s effort to restrain her on the ground, then punching him in the face. From there, the melee moved to Custer’s vehicle, with McMillan throwing himself on top of Custer in the driver’s seat.

Although Custer was the only one to be criminally charged, the video drew condemnation for the level of violence McMillan used in his efforts to apprehend her.

FreshCo store owner Chris Fowler posted to social media the day after the incident, stating he was “beyond shocked” at the events depicted in the video and announcing that he’d ended his contract with the company McMillan was working for.

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark issued a statement in the days following the incident saying the video highlighted the discrimination, profiling and violence experienced by Indigenous, Black and people of colour at retail stores and more broadly.

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Clark called for work to address racial profiling and the “hard truths of the impacts of a colonial relationship.”

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations called for McMillan to be charged in the days after the incident and demanded the federal and provincial governments commit to funding an anti-racism initiative and mandating courses on Indigenous history in schools.

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron at the time called the force used to detain Custer an example of how First Nations women are “disproportionately targeted and victimized.”

A lawyer for Custer had applied earlier in the proceedings to have her case stayed on the grounds that her Charter rights were violated.

Custer is to be sentenced at a hearing scheduled for Sept. 25.

The Saskatoon StarPhoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

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A woman whose violent confrontation with a security guard drew widespread reaction in Saskatoon has been convicted of theft under $5,000 and assault.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Woman violently detained by Saskatoon grocery store guard convicted of theft, assault Back to video

Annette Custer was charged in April 2021. Court heard during her trial that she put a beef roast in her bag while in the FreshCo grocery store at 33rd Street and Avenue C North, then purchased some other items and exited the store without paying for the roast.

Article content

Article content

Bystander Jade Acikahte recorded a nine-minute video showing the altercation that ensued between Custer and Cameron McMillan, a loss prevention officer working for a company contracted by the store.

Acikahte told the StarPhoenix she began filming after McMillan threw Custer to the ground  “with her arms still behind her back so she couldn’t brace herself for the fall.”

The video shows Custer at one point breaking free of McMillan’s effort to restrain her on the ground, then punching him in the face. From there, the melee moved to Custer’s vehicle, with McMillan throwing himself on top of Custer in the driver’s seat.

Although Custer was the only one to be criminally charged, the video drew condemnation for the level of violence McMillan used in his efforts to apprehend her.

FreshCo store owner Chris Fowler posted to social media the day after the incident, stating he was “beyond shocked” at the events depicted in the video and announcing that he’d ended his contract with the company McMillan was working for.

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark issued a statement in the days following the incident saying the video highlighted the discrimination, profiling and violence experienced by Indigenous, Black and people of colour at retail stores and more broadly.

Article content

Clark called for work to address racial profiling and the “hard truths of the impacts of a colonial relationship.”

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations called for McMillan to be charged in the days after the incident and demanded the federal and provincial governments commit to funding an anti-racism initiative and mandating courses on Indigenous history in schools.

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron at the time called the force used to detain Custer an example of how First Nations women are “disproportionately targeted and victimized.”

A lawyer for Custer had applied earlier in the proceedings to have her case stayed on the grounds that her Charter rights were violated.

Custer is to be sentenced at a hearing scheduled for Sept. 25.

The Saskatoon StarPhoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

The Saskatoon StarPhoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

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