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CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — New information is emerging Wednesday regarding the mass shooting at a Chesapeake, Virginia Walmart on Tuesday night that took the lives of six people, as well as that of the gunman.
Three people remain hospitalized as of Wednesday afternoon, all at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, according to Nexstar’s WAVY. All patients taken to Chesapeake Regional Medical Center have been released.
The call reporting the shooting came in at 10:12 p.m. Tuesday when the Walmart Supercenter was still open to the public. Night shift workers had just checked in and about 50 people in total were believed to have been inside the store at the time.
Police say that the first officer arrived at the scene within two minutes, around 10:14 p.m., and officers entered the store around 10:16 p.m. The suspect, 31-year-old Andre Bing, of Chesapeake, was already dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when officers arrived, police say. Bing was a team lead on the overnight shift, Walmart said in a statement.
A witness who spoke to WAVY added that she believes the shooting was planned, and that she heard the suspect laughing.
“It didn’t even look real until you could feel the gun go off,” said the witness who was only on her fifth day working at that Walmart. “I will never go back in that store again. I cannot, I can’t even leave my front door.”
The witness said the shooter “had issues” with other managers at that Walmart.
The gunman and two others were found dead in the store’s break room, another victim was found dead near the front of the store, and three other victims who were taken to local hospitals later died.
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Investigators said there are no indications that any of the wounded victims were shoppers at the Walmart. The names of the victims will be released by police after family contact has been made.
Police Chief Mark Solesky confirmed the gunman was an employee at the store and used a pistol. He had several magazines and was dressed in civilian clothing, without body armor or a ballistic vest.
According to investigators, first responders found a list near the employees the suspect presumably wanted to target. Officials say all six victims were shot either in the head or the face. One victim who was taken to a local hospital was shot in the head and twice in the chest.
Investigators added that there appeared to be “no signs of struggle or resistance against the shooter.”
Chesapeake’s SWAT team executed a search warrant at the suspect’s home with the help of Virginia State Police on Wednesday and investigators are working to learn more about his background and what may have motivated the shooting.
The Walmart is expected to be closed for several days, police say, as detectives collect evidence. Police say they’re still trying to account for anyone who may have been at the store and witnessed the incident but fled prior to police arrival. Anyone with information can submit it to the FBI hotline, 1-800-CALLFBI.
Officials told WAVY they believe this is the largest crime-related response in memory, and presumably, in Chesapeake’s history.
