The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) is describing a Tuesday night shooting that left a woman dead inside an Amazon Fulfillment Center as a possible domestic incident.
JSO was dispatched to respond to reports of shots fired at the facility, located near the Jacksonville, Florida, airport, at 7:24 p.m. A female reportedly was dead at the scene from at least one gunshot wound. A man also had been shot and was transported to a local hospital. His condition has not been announced.
Speaking with the media outside the fulfillment center late Tuesday night, JSO Lt. J.D. Stronko said early indications were that both were Amazon employees. He said a weapon had been recovered and that the shooting was not believed to be a case of workplace violence.
“There were some indications there may be a domestic relationship between the two parties … but it’s too soon to release any exact details,” Stronko said.
Early reports Tuesday night indicated the shooting was an attempted murder-suicide, but Stronko said he could not confirm that as JSO was early in its investigation.
Amazon did not confirm that the two were employees or in a relationship, only telling FreightWaves on Wednesday that the incident “involved two individuals.” Neither did it identify the pair. The Florida Times-Union said the woman who died was 22 years old.
Amazon also did not respond to FreightWaves’ question about how a loaded gun made its way inside the fulfillment center. It did say the building was immediately evacuated after the shooting.
JSO said during Tuesday night’s press briefing that there were multiple witnesses to the shooting and interviews were being conducted. Employees could be seen driving out of the Amazon parking lot shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Amazon said Wednesday that it was offering counseling to Jacksonville employees.
“This is a terrible tragedy,” Amazon spokesperson Leah Seay told FreightWaves. “Our thoughts are with the victims and their families and all those who have been impacted by this incident. We are working closely with the sheriff as they investigate.”
This is the second shooting at the Amazon facility in Jacksonville this year. In June, one man was shot dead while standing in line to apply for a job outside Amazon. Two others were wounded by gunfire. No arrests reportedly have been made in that case.
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