Six killed at Virginia Walmart after manager opens fire

A manager at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, opened fired inside the store Tuesday evening, killing six people and injuring at least four more before turning the gun on himself, officials said Wednesday.

Chesapeake Walmart Shooting

Victims

Chesapeake police identified the deceased as Brian Pendleton, 38, Kellie Pyle, 52, Lorenzo Gamble, 43, and Randy Blevins, 70, all from Chesapeake, and Tyneka Johnson, 22, of neighboring Portsmouth. A 16-year-old boy from Chesapeake, whose name was withheld because he was a minor, was also killed.

Suspect

The gunman has been identified as 31-year-old Andre Bing. Walmart confirmed that Bing was an overnight team lead and he started working for Walmart in 2010, the company said.

Authorities say they were still investigating what may have motivated Bing, who was armed with a handgun and multiple magazines. The city said its SWAT team had executed a search warrant at his house.

“Detectives are working to learn more about the shooter’s background and what may have motivated the shooting,” the city said in a statement.

The shooting happened quick

Briana Tyler, a Walmart employee who was there when the shooting took place, told the Associated Press the shooting happened in the store’s break room. Between 15 and 20 people on the overnight stocking team were in the room for a meeting when her manager opened fire, Tyler said.

“It is by the grace of God that a bullet missed me,” Tyler told the AP. “I saw the smoke leaving the gun, and I literally watched bodies drop.”

She told the news outlet the shooting unfolded quickly and the gunman didn’t appear to be targeting specific people. City officials said in a statement the gunman was dressed in civilian clothing and not wearing any type of body armor.

“He was just shooting all throughout the room,” Tyler said. “It didn’t matter who he hit. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t look at anybody in any specific type of way.”

Several co-workers of Bing told CNN he had exhibited uncanny and sometimes threatening behavior in the past. He also made strange comments, expressing concerns the government was monitoring him, according to CNN’s interviews.

Chesapeake Walmart Shooting officer response

Officers were dispatched to an active threat situation at the Virginia Walmart Supercenter at 10:12 p.m. local time, Chesapeake police spokesperson Leo Kosinski told reporters at the scene Tuesday evening. Authorities said officers were on the scene within two minutes, entered the store two minutes after that and within just about an hour they had cleared the store and located all of the victims.

Two victims and the gunman were found dead in the break room, city officials said Wednesday afternoon. Another victim was found dead toward the front of the store. Three died at area hospitals.

At least six other people were receiving treatment at hospitals, the city said.

At least 50 people are believed to have been inside the store when the shooting started, city officials said.

Chesapeake Mayor Rick West released a statement saying he was “devastated by the senseless act of violence” and lauding first responders.