There was an active shooter scare at my workplace. Some people chatting on FB about a recently terminated employee worked themselves up and made a false 911 call.
There was no active shooter but multiple law enforcement agencies responded and showed up to my workplace looking for an active shooter. The street was shutdown, buildings were emptied and searched, all employees on the grounds were questioned.
While being questioned one of my team members gives my name to the cops. She told them three things: that I am angry with the company, that I was asking about buying an assault rifle, and that she is afraid I will shoot up the workplace.
To be clear, I have recently acted through corporate channels to speak up against recent decisions with which I disagree. This does not translate as me being angry with my company. My company encourages us to speak up about things we disagree with and that's all I have done. I actually like my job, am proud of what I do, and this is first job I've had where I feel comfortable speaking up.
I have also recently asked a co-worker about purchasing an assault rifle. I live in one of those very blue states where getting one is a slow, difficult, and expensive process. The co-worker I asked owns several firearms and we have talked in the past about shooting in general. There even used to be a stack of over a hundred different copies of 'Guns and Ammo' magazine in the department. My point is, this was not the first time a discussion on firearms has happened in the office.
Lastly, I am friendly, helpful, supportive and kind to everyone I interact with at work. Everyday, I do my job and help others where needed. For anyone to say that are afraid of me period is absurd. For someone to say that they are afraid I might shoot up my workplace is egregious in the extreme.
It's hard for me not to see such an accusation as an attempt to ruin my life, get me fired from my job, get me arrested, and make it difficult for me to ever find a decent job ever again. It feels like a betrayal, a dagger in the back from someone I have worked with for years.
I struggle between that and my empathy for the Karen on my team who was no doubt scared by the situation at the time she spoke to the police and was startled by the massive law enforcement response. My empathy is also extended due to the fact that there was a legitimate active shooter in my region recently.
So you see, I am both upset with and understanding of this Karen, but my understanding wanes.
As a result of all of this I've been on administrative leave (with pay) with my job hanging by a string for almost two months now. I've been interrogated by corporate security multiple times. I've had the police come and question me at my home and search my home while they were at it. I've even been forced to share private medical data with my company in order for them to 'feel safe having me return to the workplace'.
All while I have done nothing wrong.
Thanks Karen.