LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A Disney security guard told Eyewitness News he's okay with being fired rather than go to work unprotected. Disney claims it's exempt from a new state law that allows employees to keep handguns in their cars.

---

SUSPENDED: Disney Employee Suspended After Bringing Gun To Work
VOTE: Allow Disney Employees To Bring Guns To Work?

---

The employee Eyewitness News talked with is not concerned about safety at the park. He's concerned about a rise in crime everywhere else.

As a security guard, Edwin Sotomayer works strange hours and says he has a right to feel safe when he is commuting to and from the theme parks. He has been a Disney security guard for more than 13 years, but he's willing to lose his job to stand up for his right to bring a gun to work

"I am going to be a test tube of this new law. If I am the first one to get fired at Disney, let it be," he said.

Disney claims it's exempt from a new state law allowing employees to carry guns in their cars because it stores fireworks, but Sotomayer says Disney is violating his rights and he plans to challenge the company Friday by putting his gun in a case and keeping it in his car while he works security at Animal Kingdom.

"It's the law and the law is there to protect me. I hope somebody is listening to me up there too," he said.

Sotomayer said he wants to be able to protect himself from Orlando's growing crime problem

Channel 9 found a 43 percent increase in the number of calls for service to Disney in the last year, but also found the Orange County Sheriff's Office didn't file a report on most of the calls. Deputies said they will not file a report if the incident does not rise to the level of a crime.

Sotomayer said Disney is safe, but Orlando is not, and he has the right to keep a gun in his car so he is protected during his 23-mile commute to and from the theme park.

"The criminals don't care. If they have to kill someone, they will," he said.

Disney told Eyewitness News it respects Sotomayer's opinion, but safety is its top priority and employees who bring guns to work risk getting fired. Sotomayer has already hired an attorney.

He is not the only one who is upset. The NRA and the State Attorney General have also received complaints.