EDMONTON - The president of G4S security, who lost three guards in a botched robbery allegedly committed by fellow guard Travis Baumgartner, visited Edmonton Thursday to thank the community for its ongoing support.

"It was a bad day, an emotional day," Jean Pierre Taillon said of June 15.

That's the day five armoured car guards with G4S security were putting cash into a bank machine at the University of Alberta HUB Mall when four of them were shot in the head.

Cpl. Matthew Schuman underwent surgery to remove a lodged bullet and survived. His colleagues, Michelle Shegelski, 26, Brian Ilesic, 35 and 39-year-old Eddie Rejano lost their lives.

Travis Baumgartner has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. His three-week trial is slated to begin Sept. 9.

Taillon's eyes welled up with tears talking about it Thursday.

"You never expect this in your life time. It was hard for everybody and I'm still feeling it myself."

Taillon said the community has come together in a way he's never seen.

On Thursday, he delivered an appreciation plaque to police and EMS for the work they did.

"This is a real break through for the EMS to be recognized like this," said Bruce Wade, one of the paramedics who responded to the deadly shooting. "These are the ones you don't want to see happen for sure. It's tough. But to witness our crews working at such a high level of professionalism was something to see.