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A security guard who was working the night of the Manchester Arena attack said in an investigation that he did not raise the alarm about Salman Abedi because he was afraid he would be “branded a racist”.
Kyle Lawler, then an 18-year-old butler, said he had received training on what to look for but was “naive” about the possibility of a terrorist incident and believed “it won’t happen to me.”
He was unable to alert his control room to the terrorist Abedi, who was hiding in an area at the rear of the City Room lobby, after being briefed on Abedi six minutes before the blast.
The bomber Salman Abedi died in the suicide attack
It was the last chance to stop the Ariana Grande concert audience leaving the arena before the explosion in May 2017, which killed 22 people.
Lawler told the investigation that Abedi was sitting among a “group of white people” and described his behavior as “a little nervous.”
He said he had a “bad feeling” about him and felt that he “didn’t belong there.”
Lawler’s earlier statement was read in the investigation, which read: “I was afraid of being wrong and being called a ‘racist’; if I was wrong I would have gotten into trouble. It made me wonder what to do by overreacting or judging someone because of their race. “
Mr. Lawler agreed that this was why he did not immediately raise any alarm about Abedi.
He also told the investigation that he tried to call his bosses by radio but could not communicate.
Abedi was seen by CCTV in an elevator the night of the attack.
Paul Greaney, QC for Research, asked: “When you went to work, did you know that you had to be alert to the material risk of a terrorist attack?”
Mr. Lawler said, “I think I was pretty naive at the time, one of those things where, yeah, it was a possibility, but it won’t happen to me.
“You see it on the news and it’s not always at your door.”
Lawler said he had been working for Showsec, the sand safety contractors, since leaving school at 16, earning £ 4.24 an hour, but had never had to deal with a suspicious person before that night.
He had heard in briefings that the threat of a terrorist attack was’ severe ‘, meaning an attack was’ very likely’, adding: ‘The news was also reporting a lot on that and I went to the’ gov ‘website to get information knowledge of what this means “.
Mr. Lawler had passed his Security Industry Association training four months prior to the attack and was a designated radio headline.
Abedi (lower left) was seen sitting in the lobby before the bombing.
“I did not actively seek more responsibility, but Showsec knew it was always willing to go the extra mile,” he told the investigation.
Mr. Lawler accepted that he had been trained in how to detect behaviors similar to that exhibited by Abedi.
A video called Eyes Wide Open was played, telling curators what to look for and highlighting the threat to concert halls.
It included a case study in which a suspect had been in and out and loitering in a place for an extended period.
Mr. Greaney asked, “Were those things you had in mind the ones you had to keep in mind when you were a butler?”
Mr. Lawler replied, “Yes. Make your observations first, try to look for the behaviors, if they are out of place.”
Twenty-two people were killed in the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017
He added that he had to notify his control who would look at the suspect and “if you manage to control, they will basically tell you what they think and advise you on the next step.”
Mr. Greaney asked, “Did you know what kinds of things to watch out for?”
Mr. Lawler replied, “Yes.”
The investigation heard the training video advise: “Know what normal behavior looks like. What excuses can they give you, what questions can you ask? Know their reporting procedures.”
One police officer adds: “Approaching someone and asking them to explain their behavior can be uncomfortable for both of you.
“If you are clear, calm and polite, most members of the public will be understanding. You and your colleagues, being vigilant, could be enough to deter a terrorist.”
Lawler told the research: “Personally, I think people skills, you have to deal with people to get that experience. I don’t think any module in the classroom or online can teach you skills on how to talk to people.”
Before his testimony began, a statement was read to the investigation in which Mr. Lawler said: “It was very difficult for me to give a clear account of what happened, to unravel what I saw and thought then with what I know now with the benefit in hindsight in circumstances where everything happened quickly. “
