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Video captures an Amazon delivery man spitting on a package

Published Mar 29th, 2020 2:30PM EDT
Coronavirus News Amazon
Image: Kathy Willens/AP/Shutterstock

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  • With the coronavirus pandemic still raging, an Amazon delivery man was caught spitting on a customer’s package before leaving it at the door.
  • Footage of the incident was captured via Amazon Ring.
  • Purposefully trying to spread the coronavirus can be categorized as an act of terrorism according to a recent memo from the U.S. Department of Justice.
  • Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.

An Amazon delivery man was fired after video captured from a customer’s front door showed him deliberately spitting on a package he was tasked with dropping off. The video would have been revolting even a year ago, but given that we’re currently in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that is only growing more serious by the day, his behavior is arguably criminal. Indeed, you may recall that a woman in Pennsylvania who purposefully coughed on $35,000 worth of food in a grocery store last week was arrested for her behavior.

The spitting incident in question went down in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles a few days ago and, interestingly enough, was captured via the homeowner’s Amazon Ring. According to a post on social media, the homeowner only went back to check the video footage after noticing the box was wet.

“I received the box and saw a big wet spot and then checked the camera,” the homeowner said on social media a few days ago.

After being horrified at what the footage showed, the homeowner promptly called the police and Amazon. It was ultimately determined that the driver was working for a third party contractor on behalf of Amazon.

In a statement on the matter, Amazon said:

This is clearly not representative of drivers who deliver for Amazon and the care they take for customers around the world every day. We are aggressively investigating to understand what may have occurred in this situation. If it truly was a malicious act by the driver, we will be sure he is held accountable, up through and including law enforcement action.

It’s important not to casually dismiss the actions of those who purposefully try and spread the coronavirus. To this end, the U.S. Department of Justice a few days ago published a memo articulating that those who try and spread the virus can be charged as terrorists, with the reason being that the coronavirus can be categorized as a biological agent.

“Because Coronavirus appears to meet the statutory definition of a ‘biological agent’… such acts potentially could implicate the Nation’s terrorism-related statutes,” Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said. “Threats or attempts to use COVID-19 as a weapon against Americans will not be tolerated.”

The United States, in just a few weeks, has become the epicenter for the coronavirus. To date, there have been more than 130,000 people who have tested positive for the virus in the United States and an estimated 2,329 deaths.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.