A carjacker who tried to attack an Amazon driver was killed in Cleveland, Ohio. The incident that occurred on Saturday raises concerns about whether companies should prohibit their drivers from having firearms in their possession while they are performing their duties.
After 4 pm, the shooter, Alquin Wells (17 years old), approached the driver.
3News was contacted by a spokesperson for the Cleveland Division of Police who confirmed the incident. According to a press release, the shooting occurred at around 4:05 pm near the intersection between West 48th Street & Franklin Boulevard.
Initial investigation revealed that the Amazon driver had been working in the vicinity when the suspect approached them. The suspect tried to steal the driver’s car at gunpoint.
The worker shot the suspect at some point in the altercation. After being shot, the suspect attempted to leave in the worker’s car. However, he crashed it shortly after.
The reports don’t specify whether or not the Amazon driver was armed and used it on the carjacker, or if he managed to wrestle away the attacker’s gun before firing. The incident does, however, show that Amazon’s policy of not allowing its drivers to be armed is questionable, especially given the nature and responsibilities of their job.
Other Amazon drivers have also been attacked while performing their duties. In Washington, an Amazon driver was shot dead in February while delivering packages.
Sergey Kubay was a 50-year-old Amazon Flex driver. He was an Amazon Flex driver for at least 4 years before he found himself shot on Thursday, 25th January in his part-time delivery car. Amazon must provide full protection for part-time delivery drivers such as Sergey, according to his brother.
Sergey’s spouse is also a package driver, and she now fears that she may suffer the same fate as Sergey. They used Amazon money to care for their children, but now they wonder who is taking care of Flex Drivers, who are often making late-night deliveries.
Kubay stated, “I’d like to ask Amazon to step up, not only for Sergey but for all drivers.”
These rules have also caused controversy. Some have chosen to carry firearms despite the ban. A rideshare driver in August 2023 used his gun to defend himself against a would-be criminal.
Uber and Lyft are the two most popular rideshare apps. Neither allows drivers or passengers to carry firearms for protection. They allow non-lethal guns but have banned guns for those using their services. Some people do not follow these rules. Recent news from Chicago shows why these people are in the greatest need of firearms.
According to Chicago Police, the 26-year-old driver dropped off a customer in the 1500 block of South Millard Avenue at 1 a.m. when a woman, 18, and a 20-year-old man approached him and announced that they were committing a robbery.
Police said that the male suspect shot at the two robbers as they fled the scene after stealing the victim’s phone.
Police said that the driver, who had a concealed carry permit, fired back, hitting the man in his leg and the woman on her arm. The driver was uninjured.
To conclude, these companies shouldn’t prevent their employees from being able to defend themselves when they are on the street making deliveries. These jobs are more dangerous than those that don’t require traveling. They are more vulnerable to thieves who want to steal their cars or packages.
Unfortunately, businesses like Amazon, Uber, and Lyft prefer to leave their employees vulnerable to criminal activity. These rules may be an attempt to limit liability if a driver accidentally hurts another person with a weapon.
Gun control does not apply only to the government. The rules won’t stop a worker from using their gun to harm someone on the job. If someone is dangerous enough to have a firearm while delivering packages, they’re probably not safe to hire.
