B of A, Wells Tell Charlotte Workers to Stay Home Amid Unrest

Big banks in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday told employees to work from home, following a second night of unrest in the city.

The city center erupted into violence Wednesday evening during protests against a fatal shooting of a black man by police a day earlier. One civilian was shot during the demonstration and was in critical condition as of Wednesday night. Several police officers were injured.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory late Wednesday declared a state of emergency and began efforts to deploy the National Guard to assist local law enforcement.

Following the night of violence, companies in the downtown area – including Bank of America and Wells Fargo – directed workers to find alternative work arrangements, according to local media reports.

B of A, which is based in Charlotte, employs about 15,000 people its downtown headquarters, chief administrative officer Andrea Smith told the Charlotte Observer earlier this year. The company did not respond to requests for comment.

Wells Fargo has 12,000 people in the city, according to a spokesman. The company is based in San Francisco.

Protests began Tuesday night after the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. Conflicting reports of how the shooting occurred have escalated tensions between police and the community.