A New York man is facing criminal charges after authorities say he stood over a coworker with two machetes in hand and threatened to kill him inside an Amazon facility in Massachusetts.
Evens Laforet, 24, of Rochester, New York, faces a dangerousness hearing on Thursday after he was arraigned on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault to murder, and assault and battery, according to Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
Officers responding to a report of an Amazon employee being chased by a machete-wielding man at the online retail giant’s facility on American Legion Highway in Revere on Sept. 20 spoke to the victim of the alleged incident, who claimed Laforet grabbed his vest and stated, “I’m going to kill you,” after a confrontation over a workstation.
Police said the victim pushed Laforet, prompting him to leave the building. Laforet then allegedly returned with a pair of machetes and charged at the victim.
“The victim tripped and fell, and Laforet stood over him with the machetes raised,” the DA’s office wrote in a news release. “Another employee intervened by yelling Laforet’s name. While Laforet looked away, the victim ran.”
Laforet reportedly told officers that he believed he was being harassed by his coworker, and that is what prompted his actions. He also allegedly claimed he did not intend to harm the victim, only wanting to “send a message.”
“Standing over someone with machetes is no way to send a message. Our focus for the Safe Shopping Initiative is not just on consumer safety but also on workplace safety and the well-being of employees,” DA Hayden said in a statement. “Everyone has the right to feel safe, and I thank the employees who stepped in and acted quickly by calling 911 during this frightening incident.”
The incident remains under investigation.
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