Canada

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Michelle Shegelski is shown in a photo from a Facebook page entitled "Dedicated To The G4S Armored Car Guards RIP." Names of three armoured car guards shot to death in Edmonton early Friday have not been officially released, but Henrietta Shegelski of Lac du Bonnet, Man., confirmed the female victim was her daughter-in-law, Michelle Shegelski, who was in her mid-20s. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Facebook

The mother of a young security guard who police believe killed three co-workers and grievously wounded a fourth begged her boy to turn himself in Friday night.

"Please, Travis, I love you and I'm pleading with you with all of my heart to end this without further bloodshed," pleaded Sandy Baumgartner in a statement released by police. "Trav, as your mother, I ask that you come forward now and take responsibility for your actions.

"I'm sorry that we had an argument last night and that we had bad words between us, but I want you to come home and do the right thing. Let's work this out together."

The mother, who lives with her son in Sherwood Park, on the outskirts of Edmonton, promised the 21-year-old that he is not alone.

"I will be there by your side to support you," she said.

Three armoured car guards were shot to death and another hurt in the wee hours Friday at the University of Alberta. Police believe it was an inside job and have issued a first-degree murder warrant for Travis Baumgartner, who was the fifth member of the crew.

Edmonton police Supt. Bob Hassel said Baumgartner also faces a charge of attempted murder.

"We now believe we have reasonable and probable grounds that this is the person who is responsible for this horrific and terrible crime," Hassel, the head of criminal operations, said Friday.

"We sincerely believe Baumgartner is armed. He's dangerous. And we're urging public to use extreme caution should you happen to encounter this person."

Baumgartner was believed to be driving a Ford F-150 truck. They initially said it had Alberta licence plate ZRE-724. Friday night, they said he has changed the plate to CAA-636. Edmonton police, RCMP, Canada Border Services officials and U.S. Customs agents were all involved in the search.

The guards, employees of G4S Security, were making a delivery to a bank ATM machine in a mall-residence complex on the university campus just after midnight Friday.

Moments later passers-by came upon the ghastly scene. Two guards were found dead by the bank machine with a third critically wounded. The other guard was found dead by a G4S minivan on the street. Baumgartner was nowhere to be found.

A second G4S vehicle, an armoured car, was found hours later parked and idling on the side of the road near an east-end company compound. Police haven't said how, or if, that car was involved.

The dead were Michelle Shegelski, 26, Eddie Rejano, 39, and Brian Ilesic, 35. Matthew Schuman was injured.