GATES, N.Y. — Gates Police have identified the victim of a fatal shooting outside the Amazon Fulfillment Center ROC1 on Manitou Road as 24-year-old Markis Ortiz-Harris, a Rochester resident and Amazon employee. The incident, which occurred around 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 24, 2025, has left the community reeling and sparked renewed concerns about workplace safety and gun violence.

According to Gates Police, Ortiz-Harris was sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot, waiting for his shift to begin, when an unknown suspect approached and shot him. Emergency responders found Ortiz-Harris suffering from a gunshot wound and rushed him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Witnesses reported a verbal argument between the victim and the suspect prior to the shooting, leading authorities to believe the incident was a targeted altercation. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived and remains at large.
The shooting prompted a significant response from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Gates Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and New York State Police, who initially responded to reports of an active shooter situation. Upon arrival, officers determined there was no active shooter inside the facility, and employees inside the building were not at risk. However, the incident caused a temporary disruption, with late-shift employees instructed to go home as police secured the scene. Crime scene tape and evidence markers were observed in the parking lot, and workers were staged in a nearby field, unable to enter the facility for several hours.

Local resident Charles Parsons, who witnessed the police response, described the chaotic scene: “I saw several police pull into the Amazon facility. I also heard sirens, seeing other EMS responders turn into the Amazon facility. For several hours, they were staging employees in a field across the street from Amazon, and they weren’t allowed into the facility, so that’s how I knew it was something serious.” Parsons expressed his distress over the violence, adding, “This kind of violence is deeply troubling. I just hope people would stop resorting to gun violence as a way to resolve their issues. There are more civil ways to act. This isn’t the Wild Wild West.”

Amazon confirmed that Ortiz-Harris was an employee at the fulfillment center and issued a statement expressing grief over the loss: “We’re deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence, which resulted in the death of one of our team members. Our deepest sympathies are with the victim’s family and loved ones, and we’re focused on giving them and our employees the support they need during this difficult time,” said Amazon spokesperson Louie Tran. The company clarified that while employees at the scene did not speak with media, there is no policy restricting them from doing so. The facility has since resumed normal operations, though the incident has left employees and the community shaken.

Gates Police Capt. Matthew Pascarella emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public, stating, “A witness said there was some type of verbal argument between parties before the shots were fired, which leads us to believe that it was targeted and isolated to that incident.” Authorities have found no evidence to suggest the suspect was an Amazon employee. The investigation remains ongoing, with police urging anyone with information to contact 911.

The death of Markis Ortiz-Harris has cast a somber shadow over Gates and the greater Rochester area, prompting reflection on the devastating impact of gun violence. As the community mourns, thoughts remain with Ortiz-Harris’s family, friends, and colleagues during this heartbreaking time.