Security company pays $1M after guard abandoned post in knife attack

Summary

• Private security company paid a $1 million settlement in a negligent security lawsuit.
• Security guard allegedly failed to call police after receiving a warning about a dangerous individual.
• Guard fled during a knife attack, leaving a property manager to defend herself.
• Victim suffered permanent facial scarring, emotional trauma, and other injuries.

An insurance company representing a private security company paid a $1 million settlement after one of their security guards abandoned a woman who was attacked by a knife-wielding intruder.

Justin Hardin of Brown & James in St. Louis represented the plaintiff, identified as S.H., in obtaining the settlement against Citizen’s Guard Security for providing negligent security.

S.H. was employed as a property manager at an apartment building located in downtown St. Louis in 2025 when the incident occurred. One of the tenants called security saying a former guest was on her way and that she should under no circumstances be allowed in the building and that she feared for her life.

The guard asked S.H. what to do, and she told him to call the police, Hardin said. The guard failed to do this.

“Shortly thereafter, the former guest made her way into the building and attempted to access the elevators. After several minutes of being blocked her from getting on the elevators and the security guard requesting she leave the building, the guest finally was able to get on an elevator,” according to Hardin. “The security guard physically pulled her off the elevator and then pinned her to the ground. He was instructed to cuff the guest, but he left his handcuffs at the security desk.”

After pinning her for a few moments, the guard allowed the woman back on her feet and she brandished a knife. He ran to get bear mace and returned to use it on her. After he sprayed her, the woman attacked him with the knife and he ran away.

The woman attacked Hardin’s client after the guard ran away and as she fought for her life, she was cut in the face several times before two good Samaritans stepped in and pulled the woman off her, Hardin said.

“She has some large cuts on her face, one right up on the forehead, one on the cheek, a couple on the cheek. They’re pretty deep. The cuts required stitching. She may eventually get some cosmetic surgery to be determined, but she will have scars on her face for the rest of her life,” Hardin said. “She, of course, was kind of traumatized by the whole thing with this woman, because she was not expecting to have to fight for her life that day when she went to work, and this woman shows up with a knife and starts attacking her.”

If S.H. hadn’t fought so hard she likely would have died, Hardin said. The fact that she was wearing glasses saved her from going blind.

Hardin gathered extensive evidence to go with the demand letter including body camera footage, surveillance footage and witness statements. Ultimately the company settled for the policy limits and did not even obtain a lawyer, he said.

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Amount of verdict, judgment or settlement: $1,000,000

Type of action: Personal injury

Case Number/Date: N/A / 05/14/2026

Injuries: Head, brain, neck, emotional, psychological

Insurer: Starstone Specialty Insurance Company for the defendant

Caption: S.H. v. Citizen’s Guard Security

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Justin Hardin of Brown & James in St. Louis

Defendants’ Attorneys: None