Disney guard fired over concealed weapon

ORLANDO, Fla., July 8 (UPI) -- A security guard fired from Florida's Disney World over his wish to keep a concealed weapon in his car is vowing to continue the fight.

Edwin Sotomayor, 36, of Orlando, was terminated Monday for violating three Disney employee policies, essentially for failing to cooperate with an internal investigation, spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said. At issue is Disney's claim of exemption from Florida's new law allowing people with concealed weapons permits to keep firearms in their vehicles in employee parking lots, the Orlando Sentinel reported Tuesday.

Sotomayor announced he intended to bring a gun to work, locked in his vehicle. Then after he showed up at Animal Kingdom Friday, he declined to let Disney authorities search his car, leading to his suspension and firing.

Sotomayor said he expects the security guards' union to challenge his termination after 13 years at Disney World, and he intends to continue his own challenge of the company's anti-gun policy.

"I am not going to stop this fight," he said. "This is going to end somewhere good."