JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A trucking company manager shot and killed Monday morning as he was getting out of his car for work outside Old Dominion Freight Line has raised concerns about workplace safety.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Marty Coffey, 50, arrived at work on Scotia Road near Cassat Avenue and I-10, got out of his vehicle and was approached by another person, who shot him and drove away in a small, white vehicle.
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As police continue to search for the shooter, the owner of a private security company said companies need to make security at work a top priority.
"Folks need to understand that it's real out there and you need to beef up safety and security," said Chief Marcus Williams, president and CEO of Protective Enterprises Florida.
Williams was a police chief in Florida and Georgia for years and now runs the large private security company with dozens of armed officers. He has a strong warning for local businesses.
"You've got to be vigilant. You've got to be alert. You've got to document everything," Williams said. "We ask that you really do your background checks on all of your employees."
Williams said it's important for companies big and small to provide safety and security for employees.
"Long-term wise, where we are in America, I think that should be a trend in the budget, that you provide safety and security for not just your employees, but your business as a whole," Williams said.
Capt. Frank Piper of Protective Enterprises of Florida teaches safety courses. He said it's everyone's responsibility to make workplaces safe.
"When they notice that something is not usual, whether it be a mood swing, whether it be comments that are made. The important thing is that we identify that as abnormal behavior and then point that information out to the person that they are responsible to report to," Piper said. "If they start making comments that make you believe that something is not right, they start telling you about how many guns they have and how many bosses they don't like, that is something that needs to be looked into relatively quick."
Sources told News4Jax that Coffey was a U.S. Army veteran who lives in Nassau County. He had been a manager at the freight company for at least two years.
One source said Coffey was shot several times and may have been targeted.
Investigators said they're still looking for witnesses and security video. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.