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Walmart shooting – latest: Andre Bing claims he was called Dahmer and teased by coworkers in ‘manifesto’

A chilling “death note” was recovered from a phone belonging to the suspected gunman who killed six people inside a Virginia Walmart store days before the Thanksgiving holiday.

In the alleged document released by Chesapeake officials on Friday morning, Andre Bing says he was “harassed by idiots” who compared him to the cannibal serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

The note includes his apologies to God and lambasts coworkers he believes bullied and betrayed him.

Police also reported that the 9mm handgun firearm used in the attack was purchased from a local store on the morning of 22 November, hours before he fatally shot six colleagues and turned the gun on himself.

Witnesses have described how the horrifying events unfolded in the employee break room as investigators continue to piece together a motive.

President Joe Biden said the shooting, as well as the massacre inside a Colorado Springs LGBT+ club over the weekend, have underscored the need to outlaw “sick” assault weapons like the AR-style rifle used in that attack.

Key Points

Survivor recounts chilling moments after the violence

13:23 , Andrea Blanco

Speaking with CNN, mother-of-one Jessica Wilczewski said that the gunman held the weapon to her forehead before she managed to leave the Walmart breakroom where the violence unfolded.

“It’s horrible because it doesn’t stop. It doesn’t stop replaying when you leave the scene, it doesn’t stop hurting as much, it doesn’t stop,” Ms Wilczewski told the network.

Gunman claims he was “betrayed by coworkers"

13:00 , Andrea Blanco

Suspect Andre Bing said in a manifesto released on Friday that he was teased by his coworkers.

“Sorry God, I’ve failed you, this was not your fault but my own. I failed to listen to the groans of the holy spirit which made me a poor representation of You,” Bing wrote in a “death note” found in his phone.

Bing claimed he “was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom,” adding that his “dignity was completely taken away beyond repair by my phone getting hacked.”

The Independent‘s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Walmart gunman’s ‘death note’ revealed

Walmart gunman Andre Bing had ‘kill list’ of colleagues

12:00 , Andrea Blanco

Walmart shooting suspect Andre Bing made a “kill list” of colleagues at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia, before carrying out Tuesday’s horror attack, according to a report.

A printed list of names of employees, their shift hours, their departments and their work duties was discovered in the trash outside the gunman’s home on Thursday, reported Dailymail.com.

The list included the names of some of the victims circled in pen, including 22-year-old Tyneka Johnson who died in the massacre.

The list was reportedly turned over to authorities who have not commented on the finding.

The Independent has reached out to the Chesapeake officials for comment.

Rachel Sharp has the story:

Walmart gunman Andre Bing had ‘kill list’ of colleagues at Chesapeake store

Glenn Youngkin to propose mental health legislation

11:00 , Andrea Blanco

Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin said in the wake of the mass shootings that his administration is planning to propose legislation to the General Assembly to bolster mental health resources.

Mr Youngkin said the bill would provide more resources, address staffing challenges and recognise people undergoing a mental health crisis, according to KPVI.

“It’s extremely important,” the governor said.

“We know that we have been in a mental health crisis and there are some very immediate actions that we need to take.”

Sixteen-year-old among fatal victims in Walmart shooting

10:00 , Andrea Blanco

Fernando Chavez Jr, 16, known to family and friends as Fernando Jesus Chavez was the youngest victim killed in the Chesapeake massacre.

A crowd gathered at the Sam’s Circle Walmart on Thursday to pay tribute to the teenager who family and friends described as “humble and intelligent”.

“Fernando was such a nice kid, he would say hi to anybody,” said Joshua Trejo, 17, a friend since middle school. He added that he and Fernando were looking forward to working together at a new job, reported the Virginian Pilot newspaper.

He was quoted as saying that he had texted Chavez several times before he heard from his friend’s brother that he had been killed.

The Independent has the story:

Who are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

The fatal victims of the Walmart massacre in Virginia

09:00 , Andrea Blanco

Six employees were killed in the attack on the Chesapeake, Virginia, branch of Walmart on 22 November 2022.

Night shift team leader Andre Bing walked into the break room where 14 employees were meeting shortly after 10pm and opened fire with a pistol. He then turned the gun on himself.

Those killed were Lorenzo Gamble, 43; Brian Pendleton, 38; Kellie Pyle, 52; Randall Blevins, 70; Tyneka Johnson, 22; and Fernando Chavez Jr, 16.

At least six other surviving victims were taken to local hospitals for further treatment, with two still hospitalised as of Friday.

The Independent’s Oliver O’Connell has the story:

Who are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

Former colleague says Andre Bing acted strangely sometimes

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

One former employee who worked under him but left the store six months ago, said: “I never saw this coming, not from a million miles away.”

“He was always a little eccentric, a little hyper, but pretty much easygoing, carefree. Sometimes he could be a little hard to get along with, some associates didn’t like him. But I don’t think they bullied him.”

The man told WAVY-TV he did not suspect Bing suffered from any specific kind of anger problems.

“I mean, from what I saw, he was a good guy, but I’ve heard that he had issues, and they tried to talk him through his issues,” he said.

Read The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe full coverage:

How a 'weird' and 'eccentric' night manager came to commit mass murder

Calls for gun safety amid mass shootings

07:00 , Andrea Blanco

Tuesday’s attack, just days before the Thanksgiving holiday, followed a mass shooting inside a LGBT+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 18 others.

Officials in that state have come under scrutiny over that state’s so-called “red flag” provisions that allow families and law enforcement agencies to petition a judge to remove firearms from people believe to be dangers to themselves and others.

President Joe Biden has called on Congress several times this week to renew a federal ban on assault weapons like the AR-style rifle used in the Colorado attack and in several high-profile mass shootings that have killed dozens.

The weapon used by the Virginia gunman was a 9mm handgun.

The weapon was legally purchased, polica reveal

06:00 , Andrea Blanco

Chesapeake Police said in a statement on Friday that the gunman used a 9mm gun in the killings.

The weapon was legally purchased from an unspecified local store on the morning of the rampage on 22 November.

Bing had no criminal history, police said. A box of ammunition, the gun’s receipt and paperwork were found at his home.

Andre Bing’s colleagues say he had 'issues’

05:00 , Andrea Blanco

Several of Bing’s colleagues at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia, have spoken out to reveal that he had a lot of “issues” with other staff members and had displayed threatening behaviour in the run-up to the shooting.

Joshua Johnson, a former Walmart employee who worked as a maintenance worker at the store until 2019, said that the 31-year-old had given a harrowing warning about what he could do if he ever lost his job.

“He said if he ever got fired from his job he would retaliate and people would remember who he was,” Mr Johnson told CNN.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Chilling ‘manifesto’ found on Walmart gunman Andre Bing’s phone

Walmart asked congress to improve gun laws after El paso shooting in 2019

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

On 3 August 2019, a 21-year-old white nationalist drove 650 miles to a Walmart in El Paso, Texas to stop what he called the “Hispanic invasion” in his alleged manifesto.

Following the El Paso shooting, Walmart officials urged Congress and then-President Donald Trump to strengthen federal background checks and resume debate on reinstating a federal ban on assault weapons like AR-15-style rifles, which had expired in 2004.

“As we’ve seen before, these horrific events occur and then the spotlight fades,” Walmart’s chief executive Doug McMillon said in a statement at the time. “We should not allow that to happen. Congress and the administration should act.”

The retailer also happens to sell firearms at many of its locations – putting the company at the centre of debate over both gun ownership and regular American violence.

The Independent’s Alex Woodward has more:

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

Fatal victim described as “the nicest person”

03:00 , Andrea Blanco

A makeshift memorial to Tyneka Johnson was placed in a grassy area outside the Walmart, with the words “Our Hearts are with you” and a basket of flowers on Wednesday morning.

The remembrance included a cluster of blue, white and gold balloons tied to a tree, alongside a stark yellow line of police tape.

One relative confirmed her death to 7NewsDC on Wednesday, describing her as “the nicest person, who never bothered anyone”.

Tyneka Johnson
Tyneka Johnson

Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and teens in Virginia

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

State law requires universal background checks for gun sales, reporting requirements for lost or stolen firearms, a limit of one handgun purchase per month for most people, and a “red flag” provision that allows law enforcement to seize firearms from people who pose an immediate threat to themselves or others.

Another recent measure limits possession of a firearm for people convicted of assaulting a family member.

Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has indicated that he could roll back some of those measures.

Gun violence is also the leading cause of death among children and teens in the state, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Independent’s Alex Woodward has the story:

Walmart shooter legally bought 9mm handgun hours before mass shooting

Andre Bing said he “failed” management and asked for God’s fogiveness in manifesto

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

“My God forgive me for what I’m going to do,” the note found in Bing’s phone reads.

In the manifesto, released by police on Friday, Bing says that he failed Walmart management and that he also “failed to listen to the groans of the holy spirit.”

Bing claimed that coworkers teased him, and “made codes speeches which [he] eventually figured out.”

“The associates gave me evil twisted grins, mocked me and celebrated my downfall which is why they suffer the same fate as me,” Bing also wrote.

Walmart said that nothing justified the killings and said the focus should remain on the grieving families of the victims.

President Biden decries gun violence after Chesapeak shooting

00:00 , Andrea Blanco

Biden made the remarks on Thanksgiving in Nantucket after delivering pumpkin pies to firefighters.

The president’s remarks came after a mass shooting in Colorado Springs killed five people at Club Q, a gay bar, and a shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, left six dead.

“The idea we still allow semi- automatic weapons to be purchased is sick,” he told reporters. “Just sick. It has no, no social redeeming value. Zero. None. Not a single solitary rationale for it except profit for the gun manufacturers.”

The Independent’s Eric Garcia has the story:

Biden rails against ‘sick’ semi-automatic weapons and unenforced red flag laws

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

23:00 , Andrea Blanco

The shooting in Chesapeake is the latest public massacre in a retail store, where more than 217 people have been killed and 227 injured over the last five decades in mass acts of violence, The Independent’s Alex Woodward reports.

Walmart – often the only grocery store in many areas across the country, and a ubiquitous presence with more than 4,000 stores in the US – has been the site of 363 gun-related incidents and 112 gun deaths since 1 January, 2020, according to advocacy group Guns Down America.

The Independent has the full story:

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

Authorities reveal ‘manifesto’ found in the suspect’s phone

22:00 , Andrea Blanco

A chilling “manifesto” has been found on the cellphone of Walmart gunman Andre Bing.

The long, rambling note was found on the 31-year-old mass shooter’s cellphone and released by Chesapeake officials on Friday morning – providing a glimpse into his motive behind the horror attack at the superstore in Chesapeake, Virginia.

In the document, which Bing described as his “death note”, he complained about being “harassed by idiots” who had compared him to the infamous cannibal serial killer Dahmer.

“They laughed at me and said I was like Jeffrey Dahmer,” he said.

“I would have never killed anyone that would have entered my home.”

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Walmart gunman’s ‘death note’ revealed

Gun Down America reports more than 530 gun incidents at Walmart locations in the last two years

20:49 , Andrea Blanco

There have been 536 gun-related incidents in and around the nation’s 12 largest supermarket chains since 2020

A report from advocacy group Guns Down America finds that there were 536 gun incidents in or around the 12 largest supermarket chains between 1 Janaury 2020 through 22 November 22 2022.

That includes 363 gun incidents, resulting in 112 deaths, at Walmart locations.

Support purs in for memorial fund of 11th grader killed in the massacre

20:04 , Andrea Blanco

Community members gathered on Thursday to mourn Fernando Chavez Jr, one of the victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting.

Supporters have organised a memorial fund a GoFundMe in his name, raising more than $13,000 as of Friday evening.

Chavez was remembered as “an amazing person who will be missed,” according to the page.

“He was an 11th-grade honours student and new driver, who was excited about his first part-time job at Walmart,” the GoFundMe page continues.

“An outstanding son and excellent big brother, he loved building with Legos. He will always be remembered as humble, loving, responsible and hardworking young man.”

Surviving employee recounts chilling moments after coworkers were killed

18:55 , Andrea Blanco

Speaking with CNN, mother-of-one Jessica Wilczewski said that the gunman held the weapon to her forehead before she managed to leave the Walmart breakroom where the violence unfolded.

“It’s horrible because it doesn’t stop. It doesn’t stop replaying when you leave the scene, it doesn’t stop hurting as much, it doesn’t stop,” Ms Wilczewski told the network.

Six victims died at the hands of manager Andre Bing, who then turned the gun on himself.

Two individuals, including one in critical condition, remain in the hospital.

One victim remains in critical condition

18:06 , Andrea Blanco

Two people remain hospitalised, including one patient in critical condition, following Tuesday’s fatal shooting of six people inside a Walmart in Virginia, according to Chesapeake officials.

Walmart shooter claimed that colleagues called him Jeffrey Dahmer

17:35 , Andrea Blanco

Some said he was a loner. Others said he could be gruff and unresponsive, The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe reports.

He writes: “Police revealed that on Andre Bing’s cellphone, they discovered what he termed a “death note”, in which he complained about changes to his employment status, and what he termed other staff’s harassment of him about it.

“On the note were names that the authorities had blacked out, suggesting they were the ones he planned to attack.”

“They laughed at me and said I was like Jeffrey Dahmer,” he wrote, referring to the cannibal serial killer.”

“I would have never killed anyone that would have entered my home.”

The Independent has the story:

How a 'weird' and 'eccentric' night manager came to commit mass murder

President Biden renewes urges for ‘greater action’ on gun reform

16:48 , Andrea Blanco

President Joe Biden urged “greater action” to combat the proliferation of firearms in the US after a gunman fatally shot six people inside a Walmart in Virginia on Tuesday night.

The violence marks the second high-profile mass shooting in the US within three days, after five people were fatally shot and more than a dozen others were injured inside a LGBT+ club in Colorado Springs.

The mass shooting in Chesapeake, Virginia also comes just days after the fatal shooting of three University of Virginia football players.

Read more here.

Youngest victim killed in the shooting was just 16 years old

15:39 , Andrea Blanco

Fernando Chavez-Barron had used his first paycheck working at Walmart to buy his mother a gift.

On Tuesday, he was killed when a gunman entered the break room where Chavez-Barron and other employees were awaiting to begin their shifts and opened fire.

“I’m out of words, and speechless that it was him,” Joshua Trejo-Alvarado, a friend of Chavez-Barron, told WTKR.

“I was hoping everything was a dream until today. I wish he was still standing here with me. I prayed yesterday night with my whole family for him. We got flowers and candles at home for him, too.”

These are the six victims killed during the shooting

15:09 , Andrea Blanco

Andre Bing walked into the break room where 14 employees were meeting shortly after 10pm and opened fire with a pistol on Tuesday night.

He then turned the gun on himself.

Those killed were Lorenzo Gamble, 43; Brian Pendleton, 38; Kellie Pyle, 52; Randall Blevins, 70; Tyneka Johnson, 22; and Fernando Chavez Jr, 16.

The Independent’s Oliver O’Connell has the story:

Who are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

Walmart responds to Andre Bing’s ‘death note’

14:34 , Andrea Blanco

Charles Crowson, director of Walmart’s corporate communications, said in a statement after police released the alleged “death note” discovered on Andre Bing’s phone that “there is nothing that can justify taking innocent lives.

“There is nothing that can justify taking innocent lives,” he said.

“Our focus continues to be on the families who are grieving and supporting our associates through this difficult time.”

It is unclear whether Bing had complained to superiors about his coworkers.

Second shooting at a Walmart within four days

13:51 , Andrea Blanco

Four days after Walmart manager Andre Bing killed six fellow employees at a Walmart in Virginia, another shooting took place at a Walmart in North Carolina.

The violence on Black Friday appeared to be separate, Fox reported. The suspect is still at large.

“This appears to be an isolated incident between two individuals who are familiar with each other,” the police department in Lumberton said. “The suspect has been identified and investigators are attempting to located [sic] him at this time.”

One person was injured in the hip and taken to the hospital. The victim is expected to survive.

Gun used in the mass shooting was legally purchased

13:27 , Andrea Blanco

Chesapeake Police confirmed on Friday that Andre Bing used a 9mm gun in the killings.

The weapon was legally purchased from an unspecified local store on the morning of the rampage on 22 November.

Bing had no criminal history, police said. A box of ammunition, the gun’s receipt and paperwork were found at his home.

In Virginia, the home of the National Rifle Association, open carry of handguns without a permit is allowed.

Walmart gunman reportedly kept ‘kill list’ of colleagues

13:00 , Alex Woodward

A reporter claims to have discovered a discarded list of the names of Andre Bing’s coworkers, their shift hours, their departments and their work duties.

Walmart gunman Andre Bing had ‘kill list’ of colleagues at Chesapeake store

Walmart statement responds to ‘death note’

12:00 , Alex Woodward

Charles Crowson, director of Walmart’s corporate communications, said in a statement after police released the alleged “death note” discovered on Andre Bing’s phone that “there is nothing that can justify taking innocent lives.

“Our focus continues to be on the families who are grieving and supporting our associates through this difficult time,” he added.

Police also disclosed this morning that the 9mm handgun was legally purchased on the morning before the attack at a local store, but authorities did not name the store.

The phone was recovered at the scene. Bing was found dead in the store’s break room, along with some of his victims. A box for the gun, a receipt and related paperwork were found at his home.

Investigators continue to probe the case but the note appears to be the strongest indicator of a motive.

Community raises more than $13,000 memorial fund for11th grader killed in Walmart massacre

11:00 , Alex Woodward

Community members gathered on Thursday to mourn Fernando Chavez Jr, one of the victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting.

Supporters have organised a memorial fund a GoFundMe in his name, raising more than $13,000 as of Friday evening.

Chavez was remembered as “an amazing person who will be missed,” according to the page.

“He was an 11th grade honors student and new driver, who was excited about his first part-time job at Walmart,” the GoFundMe page continues. “An outstanding son and excellent big brother, he loved building with Legos. He will always be remembered as humble, loving, responsible and hardworking young man.”

Calls for workplace reform after Walmart shooting

10:00 , Alex Woodward

The mass shooting inside a Walmart in Virginia was only the latest example of a workplace shooting committed by a person an employee.

While many companies provide active shooting training, experts say there is much less focus on how to prevent workplace violence, particularly how to identify and address worrisome behavior among employees.

Workers far too often don’t know how to recognize warning signs, and even more crucially don’t know how to report suspicious behavior or feel empowered to do so, according to workplace safety and human resources experts.

“We have built an industry around how to lock bad guys out. We have heavily invested in physical security measure like metal detectors, cameras and armed security guards,” said James Densley, professor of criminal justice at Metropolitan State University in DePaul, Minnesota and co-founder of the nonprofit and nonpartisan research group The Violence Project.

Walmart Chesapeake shooting sparks calls for violence prevention at work

09:00 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake Mayor Rick West will attend a vigil on Monday in honour of the six victims killed in the mass shooting inside a Walmart store.

The six victims killed in the attack also all worked at the store.

They were identified as Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins, Tyneka Johnson and Fernando Chavez Jr.

The vigil will be held at 6pm at Chesapeake City Park “so that we can honor the victims and grieve together”, the city said in a statement.

Officials release note found on gunman’s phone

08:00 , Alex Woodward

A “death note” allegedly found on a phone belonging to Andre Bing apologises to God, saying “I’ve failed you” and “this was not your fault but my own.”

“I failed to listen to the groans of the holy spirit which made me a poor representation of You,” the note reads.

Chesapeake authorities revealed the contents of the note on Friday.

“I was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom I remained strong through most of the torment but my dignity was completely taken away beyond repair by my phone getting hacked,” it continues.

The note accuses coworkers of laughing at him and comparing him to Jeffrey Dahmer.

“My true intent was never to murder anyone believe it or not, I was actually one of the most loving people in the world if you would get to know me,” it continues. “I just wanted a wife that was equally yoked as I and obsessed over the thought, however, I didn’t deserve a wife. I hope that people will learn from everyones mistakes and truly love God and not the material possessions of the world.”

The note says that his “only wish would have been to start over from scratch and that my parents would have paid closer attention to my social deficits.”

“Sorry everyone but I did not plan this!” it continues.

It mentions that “things just fell in place like I was led by the Satan.”

A bride-to-be, devoted dad and 16-year-old boy: These are the six victims

07:00 , Alex Woodward

A night shift leader in a Virginia Walmart store walked into the break room where 14 employees were meeting shortly after 10pm and opened fire with a pistol on Tuesday night. He then turned the gun on himself.

Those killed were Lorenzo Gamble, 43; Brian Pendleton, 38; Kellie Pyle, 52; Randall Blevins, 70; Tyneka Johnson, 22; and Fernando Chavez Jr, 16.

Who are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

Chesapeake authorities release name of 16-year-old victim

06:00 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake officials have confirmed the name of a juvenile victim who was killed in the attack: 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron.

On Thanksgiving, hundreds of people gathered at a vigil to pay tribute to the teenager, who was described by family and friends as “humble and intelligent”.

“Fernando was such a nice kid, he would say hi to anybody,” said Joshua Trejo, 17, a friend since middle school. He added that he and Fernando were looking forward to working together at a new job,The Virginian-Pilot reported.

16-year-old victim of Chesapeake Walmart shooting is identified: ‘Such a nice kid’

There have been more than 600 mass shootings in the US this year

05:00 , Alex Woodward

There have been more than 600 mass shootings in the US so far in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Shootings in which four or more people are killed or injured now average more than one per day. There has not been a single week in 2022 without at least four.

Last year, there were nearly 700 mass shootings, spiking from 610 in 2020 and 417 in 2019. Before that, mass shootings had not surpassed 400 annually since the organisation began tracking such incidents in 2014.

Since 1 January 2020, there have been at least 536 acts of gun violence in or around major grocery stores, according to Guns Down America.

There have been 536 gun-related incidents in and around the nation’s 12 largest supermarket chains since 2020

04:00 , Alex Woodward

A report from advocacy group Guns Down American finds that there were 536 gun incidents in or around the 12 largest supermarket chains between 1 Janaury 2020 through 22 November 22 2022.

That includes 363 gun incidents, resulting in 112 deaths, at Walmart locations.

How a ‘weird’ and ‘eccentric’ night manager came to commit mass murder

02:30 , Alex Woodward

As authorities in Chesapeake, and in the state of Virginia, paid tribute to the shooter’s victims, police were still trying to piece together the full details of what had happened – and what had led 31-year-old Bing to open fire on his colleagues, and anyone in the vicinity of the staff room.

How a 'weird' and 'eccentric' night manager came to commit mass murder

Walmart shooter legally purchased 9mm handgun hours before Chesapeake mass shooting

01:30 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake officials reported that the firearm reportedly fired by Andre Bing was purchased from a local store on the morning of 22 November – hours before he fatally shot six colleagues.

The state does mandate background checks with firearms purchases, but Bing did not have a criminal background.

But Virginia does not impose any legally required waiting periods from the time of purchase to the transfer of a sale of a firearm.

Walmart shooter legally bought 9mm handgun hours before mass shooting

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

00:30 , Alex Woodward

Walmart – often the only grocery store in many areas across the country, and a ubiquitous presence with more than 4,000 stores in the US – has been the site of 363 gun-related incidents and 112 gun deaths since 1 January, 2020, according to advocacy group Guns Down America.

The nation’s largest retailer also happens to sell firearms at many of its locations – putting the company at the centre of debate over both gun ownership and regular American violence.

After a 2019 massacre inside one of its stores in El Paso, the deadliest attack against Latinos in the US in modern history, the retailer enacted several new policies for selling firearms and ammunition. It had previously banend the sales of AR-style firearms as well as handguns and had raised the age limit to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21 years old.

But Walmart is once again facing national scrutiny for its response to gun violence after an employee killed six coworkers then killed himself inside the store in Virginia on Tuesday night.

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

Biden urges ‘greater action’ on gun reform after Chesapeake Walmart massacre

Friday 25 November 2022 23:30 , Alex Woodward

President Joe Biden urged “greater action” to combat the proliferation of firearms in the US after a gunman fatally shot six people inside a Walmart in Virginia on Tuesday night.

The violence marks the second high-profile mass shooting in the US within three days, after five people were fatally shot and more than a dozen others were injured inside a LGBT+ club in Colorado Springs.

The mass shooting in Chesapeake, Virginia also comes just days after the fatal shooting of three University of Virginia football players.

Biden urges ‘greater action’ on gun reform after Chesapeake Walmart massacre

‘Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?'

Friday 25 November 2022 22:45 , Alex Woodward

There are 400 million firearms in US and they are being used to kill people at a rate not seen in any other nation in the world, The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe writes:

Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?

More vigils are scheduled to mourn six killed in Walmart attack

Friday 25 November 2022 21:53 , Alex Woodward

Alexandra Bernier and Maya McKone-Sweet sing a hymn during a vigil at St Thomas Episcopal Church on 23 November. (REUTERS)
Alexandra Bernier and Maya McKone-Sweet sing a hymn during a vigil at St Thomas Episcopal Church on 23 November. (REUTERS)

Several vigils this week held in the aftermath a mass shooting in Virginia have mourned the loss of six people who were killed inside a Walmart store in Chesapeake on Tuesday night.

Two more vigils are scheduled in the coming days.

The Chesapeake Coalition of Black Pastors will host a vigil at 6pm on Sunday at The Mount Chesapeake to “stand together united as one community to address this senseless act of gun violence that has disrupted families and friends this holiday season,” according to organisers.

On Monday, the city will host a candlelight vigil at pm at Chesapeake City Park. Mayor Rick West will be in attendance.

Chesapeake City Council to hold special hearing on Monday to approve aid in shooting’s aftermath

Friday 25 November 2022 21:20 , Alex Woodward

The Chesapeake City Council will hold a hearing at 5pm Monday to approva an emergency delcaration “which will free up funding to support recovery following the Walmart shooting,” the city has announced.

A city-hosted vigil in City Park will follow at 6pm.

Walmart gunman Andre Bing’s chilling ‘death note’ revealed: ‘They said I was like Jeffrey Dahmer'

Friday 25 November 2022 20:50 , Alex Woodward

A rambling note was found on the 31-year-old gunman’s cellphone and released by Chesapeake officials on Friday morning provides a likely glimpse into his motive behind his apparent targeted killing of his Walmart coworkers on Tuesday night.

In the document, which is labelled a “death note”, Andre Bing says he was “harassed by idiots” who had compared him to the infamous cannibal serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Walmart gunman’s ‘death note’ revealed

Chesapeake Police Department: All families of six dead have been notified

Friday 25 November 2022 20:30 , Alex Woodward

A press release from the Chesapeake Police Department announces that all families of the six people killed in Tuesday’s shooting have been notified. All names have since been publicised.

“We are saddened to announce the names of those we lost on Tuesday evening at the shooting at Walmart on Sam’s Circle but hope that with this information we can honor their lives in our community,” police announced on Friday.

“The City of Chesapeake has always been known as the ‘City That Cares’ and now, more than ever, we know our City will show up and care for those who need it most,” police added. “Please join us in praying for the family and friends of these community members who we have lost.”

The city is hosting a candelight vigil on Monday evening.

Walmart statement responds to ‘death note'

Friday 25 November 2022 20:10 , Alex Woodward

Charles Crowson, director of Walmart’s corporate communications, said in a statement after police released the alleged “death note” discovered on Andre Bing’s phone that “there is nothing that can justify taking innocent lives.

“Our focus continues to be on the families who are grieving and supporting our associates through this difficult time,” he added.

Police also disclosed this morning that the 9mm handgun was legally purchased on the morning before the attack at a local store, but authorities did not name the store.

The phone was recovered at the scene. Bing was found dead in the store’s break room, along with some of his victims. A box for the gun, a receipt and related paperwork were found at his home.

Investigators continue to probe the case but the note appears to be the strongest indicator of a motive.

There have been 536 gun-related incidents in and around the nation’s 12 largest supermarket chains since 2020

Friday 25 November 2022 19:50 , Alex Woodward

A report from advocacy group Guns Down American finds that there were 536 gun incidents in or around the 12 largest supermarket chains between 1 Janaury 2020 through 22 November 22 2022.

That includes 363 gun incidents, resulting in 112 deaths, at Walmart locations.

‘Threatening phone calls’ reported at nearby Target and Walmart stores

Friday 25 November 2022 19:33 , Alex Woodward

Police in Virginia Beach, roughly 30 minutes from the Walmart in Chesapeake, said that a Target employee received a “threatening phone call” and “evacuated the store out of an abundance of caution.”

Another call to a nearby Walmart also is “believed to be unsubstantiated,” according to the Virginia Beach Police Department

“However, shoppers will see enhanced police visibility at all VB Walmarts today out of an abundance of caution,” the agency announced.

Police are investigating and working with a local FBI field office to identify and locate a caller.

Overnight Walmart workers who bonded over late-night shifts now grieve after six killed

Friday 25 November 2022 19:30 , Alex Woodward

 (AP)
(AP)

A shift manager killed six coworkers, including three people who had worked at the store for years: Randall Blevins, Lorenzo Gamble and Brian Pendleton.

Newer employees were also among those killed, including Kellie Pyle, Tyneka Johnson, and 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron.

“Our overnight crew, we were a family when I was there,” said Shaundrayia Reese, who worked at the store until 2018. “Everyone loved each other,” she told The New York Times.

70-year-old Randall Blevins, known affectionately as “Mr Randy,” was a longtime member of the store’s team that sets prices and arranges merchandise, according to The Times.

“He never missed a single day of work,” Ms Reese said. “He loved his family and supported everyone.”

Gunman reportedly would tape up phone over government surveillance fears

Friday 25 November 2022 19:00 , Alex Woodward

Two people who had previously worked with Andre Bing told The Wall Street Journal that the gunman who killed six was often combative and difficult to work with.

They also said he covered his cellphone camera with tape because he said he feared that the government was tracking him.

“I always knew something was wrong with him, but I never thought he would do something like this,” said Shaundrayia Reese, who said that she had worked at the Walmart until 2018.

Virginia lawmakers call for more gun reform measures in wake of Chesapeake shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 18:15 , Alex Woodward

A survey of 140 state lawmakers in Virginia reflect stark partisan responses to the fatal shooting of six people inside a Walmart on Tuesday night.

Twenty-four of the Virginia Senate’s 40 members provided statements to WUSA9 or commented on the Chesapeake shooting on their social media accounts. Thirty-five of the Virginia House’s 100 members responded similarly.

In the upcoming legislative session next year, Republicans will control both chambers, after Democratic lawmakers passed several reform measures that Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has indicated he would revisit.

A statement from Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert this week criticised Democratic gun control efforts:

“Between 2020-2022, Virginia Democrats enacted some of the staunchest gun control laws in America, knowing it wouldn’t end this type of violence. ... We don’t know enough about what happened to know what if any legislative actions would make a difference.,” he said. “That being said, if someone can tell us how to legislate evil out of the human heart without depriving law-abiding citizens of their constitutionally protected rights, then I’m all ears.”

The governor has declined to speak about gun control measures in the wake of the shooting, though he suggested that the gunman’s mental health is responsible.

Andre Bing reportedly kept ‘kill list’ of colleagues

Friday 25 November 2022 17:45 , Alex Woodward

A reporter claims to have discovered a discarded list of the names of Andre Bing’s coworkers, their shift hours, their departments and their work duties.

Walmart gunman Andre Bing had ‘kill list’ of colleagues at Chesapeake store

A bride-to-be, devoted dad and 16-year-old boy: These are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 17:30 , Alex Woodward

A night shift leader in a Virginia Walmart store walked into the break room where 14 employees were meeting shortly after 10pm and opened fire with a pistol on Tuesday night. He then turned the gun on himself.

Those killed were Lorenzo Gamble, 43; Brian Pendleton, 38; Kellie Pyle, 52; Randall Blevins, 70; Tyneka Johnson, 22; and Fernando Chavez Jr, 16.

Who are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

Youngest victim ‘just started working’ at Walmart before he was killed

Friday 25 November 2022 17:10 , Alex Woodward

Before he was fatally shot during a rampage inside a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virgina where he just started working, 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron had used his first paycheck to buy gifts for his mother, loved ones told local CBS affiliate News3.

He was remembered as kind and “outgoing with anybody he met,” according to friend Joshua Trejo-Alvarado.

“I’m out of words, and speechless that it was him,” he said. “I was hoping everything was a dream until today. I wish he was still standing here with me. I prayed yesterday night with my whole family for him. We got flowers and candles at home for him too.”

Chesapeake authorities release name of 16-year-old victim

Friday 25 November 2022 16:45 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake officials have confirmed the name of a juvenile victim who was killed in the attack: 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron.

On Thanksgiving, hundreds of people gathered at a vigil to pay tribute to the teenager, who was described by family and friends as “humble and intelligent”.

“Fernando was such a nice kid, he would say hi to anybody,” said Joshua Trejo, 17, a friend since middle school. He added that he and Fernando were looking forward to working together at a new job,The Virginian Pilot reported.

16-year-old victim of Chesapeake Walmart shooting is identified: ‘Such a nice kid’

There have been more than 600 mass shootings in the US this year

Friday 25 November 2022 16:30 , Alex Woodward

There have been more than 600 mass shootings in the US so far in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Shootings in which four or more people are killed or injured now average more than one per day. There has not been a single week in 2022 without at least four.

Last year, there were nearly 700 mass shootings, spiking from 610 in 2020 and 417 in 2019. Before that, mass shootings had not surpassed 400 annually since the organisation began tracking such incidents in 2014.

Since 1 January 2020, there have been at least 536 acts of gun violence in or around major grocery stores, according to Guns Down America.

Walmart shooter legally purchased 9mm handgun hours before Chesapeake mass shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 16:10 , Alex Woodward

Andre Bing legally purchased a 9mm handgun hours before killing six colleagues inside the Walmart where he also worked.

Virginia does not impose any legally required waiting periods from the time of purchase to the transfer of a sale of a firearm.

State law requires universal background checks for gun sales, but Bing did not have a prior criminal history.

Walmart shooter legally bought 9mm handgun hours before mass shooting

How a ‘weird’ and ‘eccentric’ night manager came to commit mass murder

Friday 25 November 2022 16:00 , Alex Woodward

As America marked Thanksgiving Day, police in Chesapeake, Virginia, were searching for clues to the mass shooting inside a Walmart store, an incident whose horror has reverberated across the nation, another jolting mass shooting taking place in the most mundane of settings.

The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe reports:

How a 'weird' and 'eccentric' night manager came to commit mass murder

One victim remains in critical condition

Friday 25 November 2022 15:45 , Alex Woodward

Two people remain hospitalised, including one patient in critical condition, following Tuesday’s fatal shooting of six people inside a Walmart in Virginia, according to Chesapeake officials.

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

Friday 25 November 2022 15:30 , Alex Woodward

Retail store massacres have become more frequent and deadly within the past several years, with 2019 and 2021 reflecting the worst years on record for such shootings.

Walmart – often the only grocery store in many areas across the country, and a ubiquitous presence with more than 4,000 stores in the US – has been the site of 363 gun-related incidents and 112 gun deaths since 1 January, 2020, according to advocacy group Guns Down America.

The retailer also happens to sell firearms at many of its locations – putting the company at the centre of debate over both gun ownership and regular American violence.

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

9mm handgun used in attack was legally purchased hours earlier

Friday 25 November 2022 15:15 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake officials report that the 9mm handgun allegedly used to kill six people inside a Walmart was purchased legally that morning, hours before the attack, raising questions about Virginia’s gun safety laws and whether the state’s recently enacted reform measures could have prevented such an attack.

The suspected gunman Andre Bing did not have a criminal history.

State law requires universal background checks for gun sales, reporting requirements for lost or stolen firearms, a limit of one handgun purchase per month for most people, and a “red flag” provision that allows law enforcement to seize firearms from people who pose an immediate threat to themselves or others.

Another recent bill limits possession of a firearm for people convicted of assaulting a family member.

Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has indicated that he could roll back some of those measures.

Everytown for Gun Safety ranks the state as having the 14th strongest gun control policies in the US. But the reform organisation also reports that roughly 1,065 people are killed by gun violence in Virginia every year, and 1,911 others are wounded.

Gun violence is also the leading cause of death among children and teens in the state.

Chesapeake mayor plans vigil for victims

Friday 25 November 2022 15:00 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake Mayor Rick West has planned to hold a vigil on Monday 28 November in honour of the six victims killed in the mass shooting in the local Walmart.

The six victims killed in the attack also all worked at the store. They were identified as Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins, Tyneka Johnson and Fernando Chavez Jr.

The vigil will be held at 6pm at City Park “so that we can honor the victims and grieve together”, the city said in a statement.

Police recover ammunition and gun receipt from suspect’s home

Friday 25 November 2022 14:50 , Alex Woodward

Chesapeake officials say that police recovered “a box of ammunition” from the suspect’s home, along with a box, receipt and related paperwork for the 9mm handgun that was used in the attack.

Police confirm legally purchased 9mm handgun used in Walmart shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 14:40 , Alex Woodward

Officials in Chesapeake, Virginia report that police have confirmed that a legally purchased 9mm handgun was used in the attack.

The gun was purchased from a “local store”.

Walmart gunman Andre Bing’s chilling ‘manifesto’ revealed: ‘They said I was like Jeffrey Dahmer’

Friday 25 November 2022 14:30 , Alex Woodward

In the document released by Chesapeake officials on Friday morning, Bing complained about being “harassed by idiots” who compared him to the cannibal serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

“They laughed at me and said I was like Jeffrey Dahmer,” he said.

Bing also claimed that his “intent was never murder” but appeared to suggest that the turning point was when his phone was allegedly hacked.

“My dignity taken away beyond repair by my phone getting hacked,” he wrote.

Walmart gunman’s manifesto revealed as he says people likened him to Jeffrey Dahme

Officials release note found on gunman’s phone

Friday 25 November 2022 14:15 , Alex Woodward

A “death note” allegedly found on a phone belonging to Andre Bing apologises to God, saying “I’ve failed you” and “this was not your fault but my own.”

“I failed to listen to the groans of the holy spirit which made me a poor representation of You,” the note reads.

“I was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom I remained strong through most of the torment but my dignity was completely taken away beyond repair by my phone getting hacked,” it continues.

The note continues, accusing coworkers of laughing at him and comparing him to Jeffrey Dahmer.

“My true intent was never to murder anyone believe it or not, I was actually one of the most loving people in the world if you would get to know me,” it continues. “I just wanted a wife that was equally yoked as I and obsessed over the thought, however, I didn’t deserve a wife. I hope that people will learn from everyones mistakes and truly love God and not the material possessions of the world.”

The note says that his “only wish would have been to start over from scratch and that my parents would have paid closer attention to my social deficits.”

“Sorry everyone but I did not plan this!” it continues.

It mentions that “things just fell in place like I was led by the Satan.”

Walmart employee stayed with shot coworkers so they wouldn’t die alone

Friday 25 November 2022 14:00 , Rachel Sharp

A Walmart employee who survived the horror mass shooting inside a store in Chesapeake has revealed that she stayed with her wounded coworkers in the break room so that they wouldn’t die alone.

Jessie Wilczewski told CNN that she was in the break room of the store when the overnight team lead Andre Bing entered and opened fire on his colleagues.

At first, she said it “didn’t register as real” and then her survival mode kicked in and she leaped under a table.

When the gunman left the room, she said she could see some of her coworkers had been shot and were lying wounded or dead around the room.

Ms Wilczewski revealed that she stayed with the victims because she didn’t want them to be alone when they died.

“I could have ran out that door … and I stayed. I stayed so they wouldn’t be alone in their last moments,” she said.

Vigil held for 16-year-old victim

Friday 25 November 2022 13:40 , Rachel Sharp

Hundreds of people gathered for a vigil ton Thursday night to pay tribute to the 16-year-old boy who was killed in the mass shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Fernando Chavez Jr, known to family and friends as Fernando Jesus Chavez, died on Tuesday when gunman and Walmart night team lead Andre Bing opened fire on his coworkers.

The teenager also worked at the store.

A crowd gathered at the store on Thursday to pay tribute to the “humble and intelligent” 16-year-old.

“Fernando was such a nice kid, he would say hi to anybody,” said Joshua Trejo, 17, a friend since middle school.

Walmart shooting suspect Andre Bing was ‘paranoid government was watching him’

Friday 25 November 2022 13:20 , Rachel Sharp

The suspect of the Walmart shooting in Chesapeake, Virginia, who opened fire in the store leaving six co-workers dead, displayed paranoid behaviour about the government watching him, a co-worker said.

Andre Bing, 31, the overnight team lead, allegedly opened fire on his colleagues inside a break room before turning the gun on himself. The incident unfolded just after 10pm on Tuesday at the superstore on Sam’s Circle.

Shaundrayia Reese, 27, a longtime colleague of Bing who worked with him from 2015 to 2018, said he used to keep his phone camera taped and “didn’t do social media”.

She recalled that once she was filming a video of her co-workers and Bing “kind of jumped out of the way” to avoid being on camera.

The Independent’s Shweta Sharma has the full story:

Walmart shooting suspect Andre Bing was ‘paranoid government was watching him’

Biden rails against ‘sick’ semi-automatic weapons and unenforced red flag laws on Thanksgiving in Nantucket

Friday 25 November 2022 13:00 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden denounced the proliferation of semi-automatic weapons and the fact that some areas of the country did not enforce so-called “red flag laws” meant to prevent people who posed a danger to themselves and others.

Mr Biden made the remarks on Thanksgiving in Nantucket after delivering pumpkin pies to firefighters. The president’s remarks came after a mass shooting in Colorado Springs killed five people at Club Q, a gay bar, and a shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, left six dead.

“The idea we still allow semi- automatic weapons to be purchased is sick,” he told reporters. “Just sick. It has no, no social redeeming value. Zero. None. Not a single solitary rationale for it except profit for the gun manufacturers.”

The president also criticised the fact that some areas of the country do not enforce red flag laws. In Colorado Springs, police arrested Anderson Lee Aldrich, who is accused of killing five people at Club Q, a year before the shooting.

Eric Garcia has more.

Biden rails against ‘sick’ semi-automatic weapons and unenforced red flag laws

Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?

Friday 25 November 2022 12:40 , Rachel Sharp

How are you supposed to feel when someone walks into an LGBT+ nightclub in Colorado Springs and opens fire, killing five and injuring 20 others?

Horror, for sure, and admiration for the persons who confronted the alleged shooter before he destroyed even more lives.

The same goes for when you wake to news that six people are dead in a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, after an employee opened fire late at night, grievously injuring half-a-dozen others, before turning the weapon on himself.

But alongside amid the sympathy for the victims, are two other emotions that bubble up and will not go away. And they are anger and outrage, writes Andrew Buncombe.

Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?

The Walmart shooter left behind a ‘manifesto’ on their phone

Friday 25 November 2022 12:20 , Josh Marcus

A chilling “manifesto” has been found on the cellphone of Walmart gunman Andre Bing, in which he allegedly laid out his motive for the horror mass shooting that left six coworkers dead and at least six other victims injured.

A law enforcement source told 10 On Your Side that, in the document, Bing, 31, described being “upset” about a recent change in employment status and complained that he was being “harassed” by fellow employees.

Officials have not confirmed the existence of the manifesto and are yet to reveal the motive for Tuesday night’s massacre.

However, several of Bing’s colleagues at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia, have spoken out to reveal that he had a lot of “issues” with other staff members and had displayed threatening behaviour in the run-up to the shooting.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Chilling ‘manifesto’ found on Walmart gunman Andre Bing’s phone

Walmart gunman had 'kill list' of colleagues at Chesapeake store

Friday 25 November 2022 12:00 , Rachel Sharp

Walmart gunman Andre Bing reportedly had a “kill list” of his colleagues at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia, before Tuesday’s horror attack.

A printed list of names of employees, their shift hours, their departments and their work duties was discovered in the trash outside his home on Thursday, according to Dailymail.com.

The list included some of the victims killed or wounded in the attack circled with pen, including 22-year-old Tyneka Johnson who died on Tuesday night.

The other four adult victims killed – Brian Pendleton, Randall Blevins, Lorenzo Gamble, and Kellie Pyle – were not on the list.

The list was reportedly turned over to authorities who have not commented on the finding.

As yet, it is unclear if the document revealed his intended targets or was simply a work roster.

Governor to propose mental health legislation

Friday 25 November 2022 11:40 , Rachel Sharp

Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin said in the wake of the mass shootings that his administration is planning to propose legislation to the General Assembly to bolster mental health resources.

Mr Youngkin said the bill would provide more resources, address staffing challenges and recognise people undergoing a mental health crisis, according to KPVI.

“It’s extremely important,” the governor said.

“We know that we have been in a mental health crisis and there are some very immediate actions that we need to take.”

Calls for workplace reform after Walmart shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 11:20 , Josh Marcus

The mass shooting Wednesday at a Walmart in Virginia was only the latest example of a workplace shooting perpetrated by an employee.

But while many companies provide active shooting training, experts say there is much less focus on how to prevent workplace violence, particularly how to identify and address worrisome behavior among employees.

Workers far too often don’t know how to recognize warning signs, and even more crucially don’t know how to report suspicious behavior or feel empowered to do so, according to workplace safety and human resources experts.

“We have built an industry around how to lock bad guys out. We have heavily invested in physical security measure like metal detectors, cameras and armed security guards,” said James Densley, professor of criminal justice at Metropolitan State University in DePaul, Minnesota and co-founder of the nonprofit and nonpartisan research group The Violence Project.

More details in our full story.

Walmart Chesapeake shooting sparks calls for violence prevention at work

‘Manifesto’ on gunman’s phone reveals possible motive

Friday 25 November 2022 10:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A chilling “manifesto” has been found on the cellphone of Walmart gunman Andre Bing, in which he allegedly laid out his motive for the mass shooting that left six coworkers dead and at least four other victims injured.

A law enforcement source told 10 On Your Side that, in the document, Bing, 31, described being “upset” about a recent change in employment status and complained that he was being “harassed” by fellow employees.

Officials have not confirmed the existence of the manifesto and are yet to reveal the motive for Tuesday night’s massacre.

Rachel Sharp has more.

Chilling ‘manifesto’ found on Walmart gunman Andre Bing’s phone

Were there warning signs in the Walmart shooting?

Friday 25 November 2022 10:20 , Josh Marcus

A Walmart employee has claimed that the coworker who allegedly carried out a horror mass shooting at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia, had “issues” with some of their other colleagues and was “laughing” as he opened fire on his victims.

Six victims were killed when a disgruntled male store worker opened fire inside the break room of the store on Sam’s Circle at around 10pm on Tuesday night.

The gunman, who has since been named as Andre Bing, carried out the attack with a pistol before turning the gun on himself, police said.

A witness, who was not named, told local network 10 On Your Side that the shooting unfolded when 14 employees were sitting in a meeting room about to go on shift.

Rachel Sharp has more details.

Walmart shooting: Witness says ‘laughing’ gunman ‘had issues’ with other coworkers

Family and friends remember 16-year-old victim

Friday 25 November 2022 09:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Fernando Chavez Jr, 16, was among the six people fatally shot inside a Walmart department store in Chesapeake, Virginia on Tuesday night.

Over a hundred friends and family of the teenager gathered at the Sam’s Circle Walmart yesterday to remember him in a vigil.

“Fernando was such a nice kid, he would say hi to anybody,” Joshua Trejo, his friend since middle school told The Virginian Pilot.

Andre Bing: What we know about alleged gunman in Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 09:20 , Josh Marcus

The gunman who allegedly killed six victims in a mass shooting inside a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virginia, before turning the gun on himself has now been identified as a night manager at the store.

Andre Bing, a 31-year-old from Chesapeake, is accused of opening fire inside the break room of the store on Sam’s Circle at around 10pm on Tuesday.

Six Walmart employees were killed in the attack, the motive for which remains unclear but surviving employees have claimed that he had “issues” with other staff members.

Walmart confirmed the gunman’s name in a statement to The Independent on Wednesday morning. Police made their official confirmation hours later.

Rachel Sharp has more.

What we know about alleged Walmart shooting suspect Andre Bing

Gunman’s motive behind mass shooting still unclear

Friday 25 November 2022 08:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Police in Chesapeake, Virginia, said they spent Thanksgiving Day examining why Walmart supervisor Andre Bing fatally shot his six co-workers before turning the gun on himself.

“We are actively looking into a motive right now and we want to make sure we get it right before we release it,” said Leo Kosinski, spokesperson for Chesapeake Police Department.

Who are the victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

Friday 25 November 2022 08:20 , Josh Marcus

Six employees were killed in the attack on the Chesapeake, Virginia, branch of Walmart on 22 November 2022.

Night shift team leader Andre Bing walked into the break room where 14 employees were meeting shortly after 10pm and opened fire with a pistol. He then turned the gun on himself.

Those killed were Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins, and Tyneka Johnson. The sixth victim, a 16-year-old boy from Chesapeake, has not been publicly named as he is a minor.

At least six other surviving victims were taken to local hospitals for further treatment, with three still hospitalised as of Wednesday morning.

Here’s what we know about those whose lives were snatched away shortly before Thanksgiving.

Oliver O’Connell has the full report.

Who are the six victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting?

Biden rails against ‘sick’ semi-automatic weapons

Friday 25 November 2022 07:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

President Joe Biden denounced the proliferation of semi-automatic weapons and the fact that some areas of the country did not enforce so-called “red flag laws” meant to prevent people who posed a danger to themselves and others.

Mr Biden made the remarks on Thanksgiving in Nantucket after delivering pumpkin pies to firefighters. The president’s remarks came after a mass shooting in Colorado Springs killed five people at Club Q, a gay bar, and a shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, left six dead.

“The idea we still allow semi-automatic weapons to be purchased is sick,” he told reporters.

“Just sick. It has no, no social redeeming value. Zero. None. Not a single solitary rationale for it except profit for the gun manufacturers.”

Eric Garcia reports.

Biden rails against ‘sick’ semi-automatic weapons and unenforced red flag laws

16-year-old identified as one of the victims

Friday 25 November 2022 07:39 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Hundreds of people gathered in a vigil to pay tribute to a 16-year-old victim of the Walmart shooting in Chesapeake, Virginia, who was identified by authorities.

Fernando Chavez Jr, known to family and friends as Fernando Jesus Chavez was killed on Tuesday, along with five other victims.

A crowd gathered at the Sam’s Circle Walmart on Thursday to pay tribute to the teenager who family and friends described as “humble and intelligent”.

Maroosha Muzaffar reports.

16-year-old victim of Chesapeake Walmart shooting is identified: ‘Such a nice kid’

Everything we know about the Walmart Chesapeake mass shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 07:20 , Josh Marcus

Six victims have been killed and a gunman is dead following a mass shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, where a store employee reportedly opened fire on his colleagues inside a break room before turning the gun on himself.

The incident unfolded just after 10pm on Tuesday at the superstore on Sam’s Circle.

It comes just days before Thanksgiving when shoppers were likely stocking up on goods ahead of the holiday season.

Walmart confirmed the identity of the alleged gunman - 31-year-old Andre Bing - in a statement to The Independent.

Rachel Sharp has the latest information.

Walmart mass shooting Chesapeake store deaths

Walmart shooting death toll likely to rise

Friday 25 November 2022 06:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The death toll from the mass shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, is likely to climb as a 23-year-old store worker is expected to have his life support machine switched off.

Blake Williams is currently fighting for his life on a ventilator and is unable to breathe on his own after he was shot by alleged gunman and coworker Andre Bing in Tuesday night’s massacre.

Rachel Sharp has more.

Walmart shooting death toll likely to rise as worker, 23, on life support

TikToker raises more than $170,000 for Walmart employee to retire: ‘Life shouldn’t be this hard’

Friday 25 November 2022 06:20 , Josh Marcus

A TikToker has raised more than $172,000 to give to a Walmart employee so that she will be able to pay off her mortgage and retire.

Devan Bonagura, who goes by the username @dbon973_ on the app, captured the attention of TikTok users when he shared a 15-second video of an elderly Walmart employee named Nola.

In a clip Bonagura shared on 3 November, he filmed Nola, who was wearing a Walmart employee vest and nametag, staring down at her lap as she sat in the break room at the Walmart where he said she works.

“Life shouldn’t be this hard…” Bonagura wrote in a text caption on the short video, before adding in the caption: “I feel bad.”

Chelsea Ritschel has more details.

TikToker raises more than $170,000 for Walmart employee to retire

What we know about the suspect

Friday 25 November 2022 05:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Andre Bing, a 31-year-old from Chesapeake, is accused of opening fire inside the break room of the store on Sam’s Circle at around 10pm on Tuesday.

Six Walmart employees were killed in the attack, the motive for which remains unclear but surviving employees have claimed that he had “issues” with other staff members.

“The alleged shooter has been identified as Andre Bing. We can confirm that he was a Walmart associate,” the Walmart statement read.

“Andre’s position with the company was overnight team lead and he’s been employed with us since 2010.”

Here’s what we know so far about the gunman:

What we know about alleged Walmart shooting suspect Andre Bing

Our correspondent’s deep dive on the Walmart shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 05:20 , Josh Marcus

Some said he was a loner. Others said he could be gruff and unresponsive.

Police said that on Andre Bing’s cellphone, they discovered a “manifesto” of sorts, in which he complained about unspecified changes to his employment status, and what he termed other staff’s harassment of him about it. One report said that close to his body, police found a list of employees he planned to attack.

As America marked Thanksgiving Day, police in Chesapeake, Virginia, were searching for clues to the mass shooting as a Walmart store, an incident whose horror has reverberated across the nation, another jolting mass shooting taking place in the most mundane of settings.

Andrew Buncombe has the full story.

How a 'weird' and 'eccentric' night manager came to commit mass murder

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years

Friday 25 November 2022 04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Mass shootings in which four or more people are killed or injured have reached more than 600 in 2022, averaging more than one per day, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The shooting in Chesapeake is the latest public massacre in a retail store, where more than 217 people have been killed and 227 injured over the last five decades in mass acts of violence.

Walmart – often the only grocery store in many areas across the country, and a ubiquitous presence with more than 4,000 stores in the US – has been the site of 363 gun-related incidents and 112 gun deaths since 1 January 2020, according to advocacy group Guns Down America.

Alex Woodward reports.

Walmart has faced calls to ban gun sales for years. Will Chesapeake change that?

‘Missing my baby’: Families remember Walmart shooting victims

Friday 25 November 2022 04:20 , Josh Marcus

A custodian and father of two. A mother with wedding plans. A happy-go-lucky guy.

That’s how friends and family described some of the six people killed at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, when a manager opened fire with a handgun right before an employee meeting. Five adults have been identified, while authorities have not released the name of the sixth person killed, a 16-year-old boy.

Here are some details about those who were lost.

Ben Finley and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher have the story.

'Missing my baby': Six killed in Virginia Walmart shooting

Community members mourn teen victim of Chesapeake shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 03:20 , Josh Marcus

Community members gathered on Thursday to mourn Fernando Chavez Jr, one of the victims of the Chesapeake Walmart shooting.

Authorities previously kept the 16-year-old’s name confidential, owing to his age, but supporters have now organised a memorial fund a GoFundMe in his name.

Chavez was remembered as “an amazing person who will be missed,” according to the page.

“He was an 11th grade honors student and new driver, who was excited about his first part-time job at Walmart,” the GoFundMe page continues. “An outstanding son and excellent big brother, he loved building with Legos. He will always be remembered as humble, loving, responsible and hardworking young man.”

Should we rebroadcast name of Chesapeake shooter?

Friday 25 November 2022 02:20 , Josh Marcus

As Americans across the country race to get news about the Chesapeake Walmart shooting, one local newsroom has made an interesting decision: not to repeatedly broadcast the name of the alleged gunman.

Deciding how much to center the identity of the shooter after a mass killing is often a controversial choice in newsrooms.

On the one hand, focusing on the assailant sheds light on what happened, and can suggest places where authorities can look for future warning signs.

On the other hand, the identity of the shooter can often eclipse that of the victims, or even inspire copy cats.

What do you think is the best way forward?

There have been 609 mass shootings this year

Friday 25 November 2022 01:20 , Josh Marcus

The Chesapeake shooting was yet another mass killing in America’s gun-violence epidemic.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 609 mass killings in the US this year, part of 39,843 overall gun violence deaths in the country.

Walmart hosts Thanksgiving meal at Virginia hotel for traumatised employees

Friday 25 November 2022 00:50 , Josh Marcus

Walmart hosted a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday for employees of a store in Chesapeake, Virginia, where six people were killed in a mass shooting on Tuesday, ABC News reports.

The meal took place at the Delta Hotel in Chesapeake, and featured store employees and their families, as well as faith leaders there to offer comfort.

Seven people remain in the hospital with injuries after the shooting.

Video: Church holds service honoring victims of Chesapeake shooting

Friday 25 November 2022 00:20 , Josh Marcus

A church in Chesapeake, Virginia, held a candle light service honoring the six people who were killed on Tuesday in a mass shooting at a Walmart store.

The service was one of numerous memorials to the tragedy, which have sprung up at the store and around the city.

Watch the full video below, via Reuters.

Chesapeake survivors recount horrific moments from shooting

Thursday 24 November 2022 23:30 , Josh Marcus

Survivors of the 22 November shooting inside a Virginia Walmart that killed six people have begun sharing their experiences.

Donya Prioleau said she was inside the employee break room when shots began ringing out.

“We don’t know what made him do this,” she told CNN, referring to store employee and suspected gunman Andre Bing. “None of us can understand why it happened.”

“Half of us didn’t believe it was real until some of us saw all the blood on the floor,” she added.

Another coworker, Jessie Wilczewski, told the network she could’ve run from the shots but chose to stay in the store as her colleagues experienced their final moments.

“I could have ran out that door … and I stayed. I stayed so they wouldn’t be alone,” she said.

Memorial grows outside of Chesapeake Walmart after mass shooting

Thursday 24 November 2022 23:00 , Josh Marcus

Mourners and community members have built a memorial outside the Chesapeake, Virginia, Walmart where six people were killed in a mass shooting on Tuesday.

Flowers and balloons have been assembled to remember the victims: Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Lorenzo Gamble, Randy Blevins, Tyneka Johnson, and a 16-year-old boy whose name has been kept confidential.

“It was important for us to come out and remember,” a community member told WAVY. “It was important to remember the lives lost and everybody that was affected by the tragedy. It’s heartbreaking to think about all the employees who have to come back and realize what happened here. All the ones that are in the hospital, more families, it is very tragic.”

‘That’s Andre’: Video shows alleged Walmart shooter Andre Bing joking with coworkers

Thursday 24 November 2022 22:30 , Josh Marcus

A video circulating on social media shows alleged Chesapeake Walmart shooter Andre Bing at work, joking with his colleagues.In the original clip, which appears to have been taken down from Facebook, shows an individual who resembles Bing telling a story about parking a car, before smiling and darting out of frame when he realises he’s being recorded.

“That’s Andre,” a coworker can be heard saying in the background.

“YOU KILLED PEOPLE THAT WAS REALLY CLOSE TO ME THERE. I NEVER WOULD OF THOUGHT U WOULD DO SOME S*** LIKE THIS... THIS IS THE MANAGER WHO DID THAT !! ROT IN HELL,” Draayia Janaee, who posted the video, wrote on Facebook, Fox News reports.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website