JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An Amazon employee at the fulfillment center on Jacksonville’s Northside was arrested after police said he was caught carrying a gun inside the building.
The incident happened Monday at the Pecan Park Road fulfillment center.
The police report said Harry Patterson was escorted out of the building when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper working security out front noticed a dispute.
Police said Patterson appeared to be under the influence and an employee tried to prevent him from getting behind the wheel of his vehicle.
The trooper said Patterson was behaving in an “erratic, argumentative and aggressive manner” toward the employee and pushed the man out of the way.
The employee told police Patterson then reached for a gun hidden in the waistband of his shorts.
The trooper secured the loaded firearm and detained Patterson and placed him in the back of her patrol car.
The report said Patterson has a valid concealed carry weapons permit. However, Amazon has a sign clearly stating “no firearms” displayed on the front entrance to the fulfillment center.
Another scare at this exact Amazon Fulfillment Center is raising even more safety concerns among employees.
Back in June, a triple shooting in the parking lot left a man dead and two others hurt.
Action News Jax told you in September that young mother Ebony Nicholas, 22, was shot and killed inside the building.
Action News Jax spoke to an anonymous Amazon employee who said workers don’t feel safe inside the building.
“The security is very poor there,” the employee said.
The employee said the incidents have caused employees to become anxious.
“We are looking over our shoulders all day long, all night long,” the employee said. “Am I going to get killed? I mean, that’s in the back of your head.”
They are demanding Amazon take action.
“My co-workers and I are beyond frustrated,” the employee said.
They said they would like to see Amazon use metal detectors as people go inside the building.
“It’s serious. We can’t lose any more people,” the employee said.
Action News Jax reached out to Amazon and was told armed guards were added to patrol the parking lot and the inside of the building 24/7. When asked if Amazon would consider adding metal detectors at the front entrance, the spokesperson said they couldn’t answer that question. Amazon said weapons are strictly prohibited and carrying a weapon while at work is a fireable offense. The company also said it has zero tolerance of violence in the workplace.
Cox Media Group
