Victims IDed After Employee Opens Fire At Virginia Walmart, Killing 6

CHESAPEAKE, VA — Authorities have identified the six people killed when a man opened fire inside a Chesapeake Walmart on Tuesday night. The mass shooting is the second in Virginia to happen in the last 10 days.

In a news release, Chesapeake officials said Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins, and Tyneka Johnson were killed when 31-year-old Andre Bing opened fire inside the store. A 16-year-old boy was also killed. Because of his age, authorities did not release his name.

Six others were injured in the shooting, according to authorities.

Bing, a Walmart employee, was the seventh person killed in the shooting and he died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Chesapeake Police Chief Mark Solesky said at a news conference Wednesday morning. Police said he was the only shooter.

According to a report by The Associated Press, Bing was an overnight team leader who had been a Walmart employee since 2010. He was armed with one handgun and had multiple magazines on him, authorities said.

The first call for the shooting came in at 10:12 p.m. Tuesday. Police entered the store around 10:16 p.m. and found multiple people dead and injured.

According to Chesapeake city officials, three victims and Bing were found in the store's break room. Another victim was found near the front of the store. Three were taken to a hospital and later died from their injuries, authorities said.

Six others were taken to a hospital for treatment. One person is in critical condition, authorities said.

In an interview with The Associated Press, employee Briana Tyler said the overnight stocking team of 15 to 20 people had just gathered in the break room to go over the morning plan. She said the meeting was about to start, and one team leader said: "All right guys, we have a light night ahead of us." Then Bing turned around and opened fire on the staff.

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

"It was all happening so fast," she added. "It is by the grace of God that a bullet missed me. I saw the smoke leaving the gun, and I literally watched bodies drop. It was crazy."

The scene was cleared by 11:20 p.m. A SWAT team cleared the shooter's home and Solesky said there was no risk to the public at this time.

When asked whether the victims were targeted or if it was a random attack, Solesky said there was no clear motive at this time. Investigators searched Bing's home Wednesday to "learn more about (his) background and what may have motivated the shooting," police said in a news release.

Solesky also said that at this time, he was not aware of the shooter being previously known to police.

The store was open at the time of the shooting and at least 50 people were inside. One woman told CNN her mother texted her from inside the store when shots rang out.

"I had just talked to her about buying turkeys for Thanksgiving, then this text came in," the woman, Joetta Jeffrey, told CNN. She said her mother was uninjured.

Reporting from the scene of a reunification center that had been established at the Chesapeake Conference Center, The Virginian-Pilot described "shrieks that cut through the air" and the brother of a victim wailing and yelling after learning of his loved one's death.

"You always say you don’t think it would happen in your town, in your neighborhood, in your store — in your favorite store and that’s the thing that has me shocked," Camille Buggs, a former Walmart employee, told the paper.

The Walmart store is expected to be closed for several days while authorities investigate.

The FBI in Norfolk set up a tip hotline to gather information related to the shooting. Anyone with information should call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

"I am devastated by the senseless act of violence that took place late last night in our city," Chesapeake Mayor Rick West said in a statement. "My prayers are with all those affected — the victims, their family, their friends, and their coworkers. I am grateful for the quick actions taken by our first responders who rushed to the scene.

"Chesapeake is a tight-knit community and we are all shaken by this news. Together, we will support each other throughout this time. Please keep us in your prayers."

In a statement, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the state had made available any resources for the investigation. He also ordered all flags at local, state and federal buildings to be flown at half-staff through sunset on Sunday.

"Our hearts break with the community of Chesapeake this morning," Youngkin said in a statement. "I remain in contact with law enforcement officials throughout this morning and have made available any resources as this investigation moves forward. Heinous acts of violence have no place in our communities."

President Joe Biden released a statement Wednesday morning, saying he and first lady Jill Biden "grieve for those families, for the Chesapeake community, and for the Commonwealth of Virginia."

"Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, one of our most cherished holidays that brings us together as Americans and as families, when we hug our loved ones and count our blessings," Biden said. "But because of yet another horrific and senseless act of violence, there are now even more tables across the country that will have empty seats this Thanksgiving."

Sen. Mark Warner said he was "sickened" by reports of yet another mass shooting.

Walmart also issued a statement saying that it was “shocked at this tragic event.”

The Walmart shooting is the second mass shooting in less than two weeks in the Commonwealth. On Nov. 13, three University of Virginia football players were shot to death on campus in Charlottesville, and a student is in custody.

The shooting also comes just days after an attack at a gay club in Colorado where five people were killed before patrons subdued the accused gunman.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.