8 months after shooting: “Why must we beg for accountability?” – parents of teen killed at work

Avalon and Reshma Jagnandan have, in a recent press release, renewed their calls for justice for their 18-year-old son Jared Jagnandan, who on March 21 was shot and killed by an armed security guard attached to the Cerberus Security Inc.
At the time of the incident, Jared Jagnandan was employed as a marketing and sales representative at S.M.K Shaf Auto Sales & Spares.

Avalon and Reshma Jagnandan said on Monday that after they had first gone public in demanding justice for their son, the police had instituted charges against security guard Deandrell Semple, who had been responsible for discharging the weapon that resulted in their son’s death. They say that while they were pleased with this progress, justice involves holding all parties accountable.
They have since expressed dissatisfaction with the police failing to press charges against the security company, for allegedly acting recklessly in putting an illegal firearm in the hands of an individual who had never been trained nor licensed to hold a firearm.
Avalon and Reshma Jagnandan have expressed in the release on Monday that, to date, no charges have been instituted against the directors of Cerberus Security Inc, despite clear breaches of the Private Security Act, and despite the legislature designing specific laws aimed at holding private security firms accountable, recognizing that their operation of firearms poses an increased risk to the public.
“It has now been more than eight months since our son’s death. No investigatory process should take so long, especially for a matter so straightforward as breaches of the Private Security Act. From the moment that the Police Force determines that licences are not in place, Cerberus Security Inc. is immediately in breach of the Act,” the Jagnandans contend.
The grieving parents are also contending it is also strange that the police have only recently revealed that at the time of Jared’s shooting, Cerberus Security Inc did not have a 2024 licence for the shotgun that was used to kill their son; and that Cerberus Security Inc was also not licensed to operate as a security firm for the year 2024 at the time.
“Why was this not brought out in initial investigations by the police at Vigilance and Cove & John? We feel as though had we not pushed so hard for a special investigation into Cerberus Security Inc., their gross negligence would to date (have remained) undiscovered.
Why must we continue to beg for justice, as if we are requesting something to which we are not entitled?” the grieving parents have asked in their call for justice.
“To date, we also have not been able to see footage of our son’s death, which was captured by CCTV cameras. Despite numerous requests from our attorney to the Police Force and assurances that this footage would not be used for anything more than the institution of civil proceedings, the police have flatly refused to cooperate,” the statement read.
The Jagnandans have said that, in their continued efforts for justice for their son, they are being treated disdainfully.
“Are we supposed to say nothing? What can we do but speak to the public? If our son was alive, he would have celebrated his 19th birthday today, November 25, 2024.”
Jared Jagnandan of Mon Repos, ECD was reportedly shot dead on March 21 by a 20-year-old security officer attached to the Cerberus Security Service, who was at the time armed with a 12-gauge shotgun.
Police investigations revealed that on the day in question, the owner of the S.M.K Shaf Auto Sales & Spares had returned to the store with his wife after transacting business, and had found the suspect, who was on duty, and Jagnandan in a chair a short distance away from the Security Officer’s desk.
The couple had proceeded to the entity’s office, but said they had heard a loud explosion in the store a few minutes later. The businessman said he had immediately gone to check on the origin of the sound, and had observed Jagnandan lying motionless on the ground with blood about the lower section of his body.
The injured teen was picked up in an unconscious state, with a wound on the upper left leg, and was taken to the Woodlands Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.