On New Year’s Day, a horrific attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans claimed the lives of at least 15 people and left dozens more injured. Among the victims was 23-year-old Alexis Scott-Windham, who was severely injured when a truck plowed into the crowd. Despite sustaining multiple injuries, including a bullet wound to her foot, Scott-Windham faced an unexpected challenge from her employer, Amazon, when they initially denied her leave of absence. The company later reversed its decision following public backlash.
The chaos unfolded in the early hours of the morning when 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove his truck into a crowd of revelers and opened fire. The attack left many injured, including Scott-Windham, a resident of Mobile, Alabama, who had just arrived with friends to ring in the new year.
Surviving the Unthinkable
Scott-Windham was enjoying the festivities when the nightmare began. She recalled feeling a sense of disbelief as the truck sped toward them. “He was coming so fast, there wasn’t any time to move,” she said. As the vehicle struck her, she was knocked to the ground, and in the midst of the chaos, she was also shot in the foot.
As the gunshots rang out, Scott-Windham’s world seemed to slow down. What initially seemed like a reckless driver soon turned into a scene of terror as people around her fell. She managed to move to a nearby side street, where she sat in shock, waiting for help. Despite the physical pain, Scott-Windham’s thoughts were with her young daughter, Skai, and her desperate wish to survive and make it home.
Her friends, meanwhile, were desperately searching for another member of their group, Brandon Whitsett, who had also been struck by the truck. Unbeknownst to them, Whitsett had already been taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Amazon’s Initial Denial of Leave
In the wake of the attack, Scott-Windham, who was left with a bullet still lodged in her foot, reached out to Amazon for a leave of absence to recover. However, her request was initially denied, which led to public outcry. Critics quickly pointed out that Amazon’s focus on productivity seemed to overshadow the well-being of its employees.
The company faced severe backlash on social media, and after further scrutiny, Amazon reversed its decision and granted Scott-Windham paid leave. “We wish her a full recovery and look forward to welcoming her back to work once she’s able,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
Amazon’s Labor Controversies
Scott-Windham’s experience sheds light on Amazon’s controversial track record when it comes to worker treatment. The company has long been criticized for poor working conditions and its resistance to unionization efforts. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a report criticizing Amazon for exposing its warehouse workers to unsafe conditions, leading to a higher risk of injury.
In response to growing labor unrest, members of the Amazon Labor Union voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in June 2023, signaling a shift toward improved labor rights.
A History of Retaliation Against Workers
The company has also been accused of retaliating against workers who speak out against its practices. One of the most notable cases involved Christian Smalls, a worker at Amazon’s Staten Island warehouse. After leading a walkout in 2020 to protest Amazon’s inadequate response to COVID-19, Smalls was fired. Internal documents later revealed that Amazon executives sought to undermine Smalls’ efforts and discredit the broader labor movement.
Smalls’ story highlights the challenges employees face when standing up for better working conditions, and his testimony before the Senate in 2022 brought further attention to Amazon’s labor practices.
