Tuesday evening, inside a Walmart Supercenter in Chesapeake, Virginia, a Walmart night shift supervisor murdered six people.
Following his outburst, the night crew supervisor shot himself. Hundreds of people were shopping inside Walmart for a last-minute shopping frenzy before Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to police reports. Many customers visit the store at night to make last-minute preparations for the holidays later this week despite their hectic work schedules. To attract shoppers looking to save money, Walmart also reduced the price of several goods.
Andre Bing, 31, of Chesapeake, was the gunman, according to the police. He did the act while brandishing a revolver with numerous magazines. Bing had issues that he kept from his staff, according to Walmart management at the time. Bing has been the team’s manager since 2010.
“We feel tragedies like this personally and deeply. But this one is especially painful as we have learned the gunman was a Walmart associate. Our hearts and prayers are with those impacted, and we are grateful for the actions of first responders,” said the chief executive of Walmart US, John Furner.
Around 10 PM ET on Tuesday, the supervisor committed the crime. Immediately after, witnesses notified the police about the tragedy, and the police declared the incident contained at about 11:20 PM. Injured people hurriedly visited the hospital. Though the shooter also took his own life, six other people died. In response to the probe, Walmart stated that its Chesapeake location would be closed.
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Walmart promises to support the mental health of employees
Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, restated the company’s objective to find workers who require assistance in light of the incident. The organization places a high priority on the welfare of its personnel. In June, Walmart’s store manager training program began implementing mental health components to address any difficulties connected to its employees’ psyche. However, Walmart claims they remain unaware of the shooter’s apparent intent.
“The devastating news of last night’s shooting at our Chesapeake, VA store at the hands of one of our associates has hit our Walmart family hard. My heart hurts for our associates and the Chesapeake community who have lost or injured loved ones. We are here for them today, and in the challenging days ahead, they will have our support,” announced McMillon in a LinkedIn post.
“We appreciate all of our associates, first responders, and local officials who are already on site helping offer support as we work together to navigate this tragedy,” he added.
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Shooting incidents across the country
The Colorado LGBTQ nightclub shooting occurred just three days before the Walmart massacre. A young man’s killing spree claimed the lives of five individuals. In a Buffalo, New York, grocery store, a different shooter opened fire months earlier, murdering eleven people. Many high-ranking authorities reinforced the calls for the US gun control laws to be strengthened in response to the incidents. According to President Joe Biden, the nation must move quickly to ban and restrict the sale of guns.
“We are grateful to the first responders who mobilized to assist victims, and I have directed federal officials to provide any support and assistance needed to the people of Chesapeake,” said the president.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts or having a hard time, you can reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. There, you will receive support from a counselor.
Photo Credit: Kenny Holston
Source: CNBC
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