Amazon Moves Employees Due to Violence in Downtown Seattle; Engineer Hit In The Head With A Bat

Amazon.com, Inc AMZN has announced that it is relocating its office staff in downtown Seattle due to continuous violent crime in the vicinity. 

The city is witnessing a huge spike in crime over the last month. On March 2, 15-year-old Michael del Bianco was shot and killed at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Pike Street, which is where Amazon's office building is located.

“Given recent incidents near 3rd and Pine, we’re providing employees currently at that location with alternative office space elsewhere. We are hopeful that conditions will improve and that we will be able to bring employees back to this location when it is safe to do so,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Also Read: Why These Amazon Analysts Are Bullish Following 20-for-1 Stock Split Announcement

Amazon, which opened its office in Downtown Seattle in 2018, has 1,800 employees working at the location. 

Due to the increase in crime in the city, many companies and business have advised their employees to work from home. 

Earlier this year, an Amazon engineer was hit in the head with a baseball bat while walking near downtown Seattle. 

A few days later, there was a rash of shootings in the downtown district, reflecting what city officials say was a 40% increase in gun violence last year.

Photo: Courtesy of Phil Murphy on Flickr