The shooter who killed six people at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, late Tuesday was “going searching” for coworkers and making sure they were killed, a witness said.
Jessica Wilczewski, in contrast to another witness, claimed that overnight team leader Andre Bing entered the break area before the late shift began and purposefully began shooting.
Wilczewski told The Associated Press on Thursday that based on the way the man was acting, he was out hunting. “He was selecting folks out by the way he was staring at their faces and doing what he did.”
Wilczewski, who had only recently started working there, claimed that the shooter let her go when he recognized her but continued shooting at other workers who had already been hit and were lying on the ground.
What she stated was, “I do know that he made sure who he wanted dead, was killed.” After shooting already-dead bodies, he returned. to be certain.
Briana Tyler, a coworker at Walmart, had claimed that Bing “was just shooting all across the place” on Wednesday. It made no difference who he hit.
Bing, who had a weapon and several magazines, was discovered dead in the break room, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the police. According to Walmart, Bing, 31, has worked for the company since 2010.
Portsmouth, Virginia’s WAVY-TV 10 stated that Bing left behind a “manifesto.” Leo Kosinski, a spokesman for the Chesapeake Police Department, said that the report is being looked into.
Police are looking into the attack’s motive.
The incident that left six individuals dead and at least six more hurt was investigated by authorities on Thursday. Two of the injured remain hospitalized, one in critical condition and the other in fair to improving health, the city of Chesapeake reported on Thursday.
Before a staff meeting on Tuesday night, according to witnesses and the police, Bing pulled out a revolver and started shooting in the break room. It was the second high-profile mass shooting in four days to occur in the nation.
According to local truck driver Zachary Adkins, first responders were still on the scene of the incident on Thanksgiving. Adkins claimed that on Thursday morning he traveled to the Walmart, which was still closed, in an attempt to buy food for the emergency personnel, but they kindly declined.
We just wanted to pay our respects because it’s Thanksgiving and come out here “said he. “Additionally, some people won’t have families.
Police look at potential reasons
As of Thursday morning, investigators had not identified a motive for the shooting, but they were “actively working on it,” according to Kosinski.
The investigation is being assisted by the Norfolk field office of the FBI.
A SWAT team “executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and with the help of Virginia State Police cleared the house,” the city of Chesapeake previously stated in a news release.
The victims were who?
All but one of the victims’ names were made public by the authorities on Wednesday. Walmart has confirmed that all people slain, who were between the ages of 16 and 70, were workers.
Police stated that a 16-year-old boy’s name is being kept under wraps due to his young age.
The other victims were identified as Brian Pendleton, 38; Kellie Pyle, 52; Lorenzo Gamble, 43; Randy Blevins, 70; and Tyneka Johnson, 22, of nearby Portsmouth. All of the victims were from Chesapeake.
One planned to retire the following year, and several had worked for Walmart for a very long time.
Pendleton had been “a really good friend” since 2018, according to Jasmine Rankins, a former Walmart employee, who told USA TODAY that the two would frequently joke and laugh together.
Pendleton was spotted by Rankins and her husband at Walmart the previous week, and she vowed to get him a gift for his upcoming birthday.
A temporary monument for Johnson with the words “Our Hearts are with you” and a bouquet of flowers was erected in a grassy area outside the Walmart.
A stretch of yellow police tape and a collection of blue, white, and gold balloons tied to a tree were part of the memorial.
Pyle was remembered as a lovely and giving lady who was soon to become a mother and had wedding plans.
She was set to wed my son the following year. Gwendolyn Bowe Baker Spencer praised her as a wonderful and generous person.
In the wake of the tragedy, Pyle’s adult children in Kentucky will be making their way to Virginia, according to Spencer.