JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Dollar General on Kings Road – the site of last month’s racially motivated mass shooting where 3 Black people were killed -- is now being investigated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA said inspections at Dollar General stores commonly find aisles, emergency exits, and fire extinguishers blocked by store merchandise.
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We learned OSHA is now trying to determine if escape routes were blocked -- or response to the attack hindered -- by clutter inside the store.
The investigation was opened August 26, the same day the mass shooting happened.
Surveillance video shows 21-year-old Ryan Palmeter entering the store wearing tactical gear and holding an AR-15-styled rifle.
Palmeter took the lives of three people in what the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed was a racially motivated shooting.
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“Portions of these manifestos detail the shooter’s disgusting ideology of hate. Plainly put, the shooting was racially motivated, and he hated Black people,” Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said.
Angela Carr, 52, was killed in the parking lot.
Anolt “AJ” Laguerre Jr., 19, and 29-year-old Jerrald Gallion were both killed inside the store.
Read: Jacksonville Dollar General shooting: Sheriff shows video of gunman’s movements before racial attack
The surveillance video of Palmeter’s entrance begins to paint a picture of the conditions inside the store at the time of the attack.
There are stacks of drinks almost as tall as the shooter lined against the wall next to the door.
Surveillance video of SWAT and police searching for Palmeter adds more detail to the store’s interior that day.
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You can see a maze of towering aisles, cluttered shelves, and metal carts in the middle of the walkways.
The question is whether those conditions prevented people inside from escaping the killer or created obstacles for first responders.
This Dollar General store investigation is going to be complete in scope, according to the inspection details on OSHA’s website.
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Nine other inspections across four states also found Dollar General workers exposed to blocked exits and fire and electrical hazards.
Since 2017, OSHA has proposed more than $21 million dollars in fines to the national retailer after 240 inspections.
On Sept. 1, Dollar General announced its plans to open a fully remodeled store at the Kings Road location later this month or early next month.
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