Police investigate excessive use of force by Cowboys Music Festival security staff
CALGARY Canada July 15 2019 A Calgary man is recovering from facial injuries that he claims were caused by security guards from Cowboys Music Festival.
According to Joel Lake Hawk’s version of events, he was at Cowboys on Thursday night when he got into a verbal altercation with another man.
Shortly after he was grabbed from behind by two security guards who took him outside the venue. That’s when he says other guards joined in and began punching and kicking him on the ground.
“The two security guards who were holding me threw me down onto the ground, face first, then about three others joined in — there was about four or five of them,” he described. “They were just smashing my face against the ground repeatedly, kneeing me, elbowing me, kicking me — just giving me the gears.”
Cowboys Music Festival did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.
Lake Hawk says a Calgary police officer came across the incident and put him in handcuffs. Once he explained what happened, the officer released him and he was taken to Sheldon Chumir in an ambulance where he was treated for his injuries.
His lip was split in two and required nine stitches to sew it back together. He also said he has bruises on his shoulders, the back of his neck, head, and face.
“Physically I don’t feel the best, emotionally it’s kind of traumatizing,” he said.
This morning, Lake Hawk says he went to the police station to file a report about the incident and wants to press charges.
Calgary police are gathering statements from him and witnesses, along with body camera footage as they investigate the incident.
Calgary police also confirmed that it’s not the first time allegations have been made against Cowboys security staff for being heavy handed.
