The first victim of the Virginia Walmart shooting can be named as 22-year-old store worker Tyneka Johnson.
Tyneka’s family confirmed her death on Wednesday morning, after frantically appealing for information about her safety as news of the shooting emerged last night.
She was among six people killed by an as-yet unidentified gunman, who opened fire in the breakroom of the store in Chesapeake, Virginia, at 10.10pm last night. He killed six people before turning the pistol on himself. His motive remains unclear, and police have not yet released his name.
Other employees took to social media on Wednesday to say he was ‘crazy’ and seemed as though he was going to ‘snap’ in the days and weeks beforehand.
One witness who survived the shooting told local Virginia outlet WAVY that the shooter had ‘issues’ with other managers in the store, which led her to believe the attack was ‘planned’. That person had only been working in the store for five days.
They said night-shift employees had just arrived at the store, and some were meeting in the break room to discuss their shift when the shooter opened fire. President Biden issued a statement on Wednesday morning, condemning the shooting and repeating his call for stricter gun laws. He has repeatedly called for a ban on assault rifles.
On Wednesday morning, police raided the shooter’s three-bedroom home in Chesapeake, which is around three miles from the store.
Tyneka Johnson, 22, is among the six people shot dead by a Walmart gunman in Chesapeake last night At 10.10pm last night, the shooter opened fire in a break room of the store. It’s unclear if the rampage was contained to the break room or if he ventured into the store
Law enforcement work the scene of a mass shooting at a Walmart, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, in Chesapeake, Va. A store employee shot six people dead then killed himself last night in a pre-Thanksgiving rampage
The shooter’s home in Chesapeake. It was raided on Wednesday morning as cops continued to investigate his motive
A member of the FBI works at the scene of a mass shooting at the Walmart Supercenter in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA, 23 November 2022
A member of the FBI works at the scene of a mass shooting at the Walmart Supercenter in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA, 23 November 2022
Crime scene investigators at the Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Tuesday night after a store manager opened fire, killing six people. He also died in the incident but it’s unclear if he shot himself or was killed by someone else
‘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.
‘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.
‘There are now more families who know the worst kind of loss and pain imaginable. Jill and I grieve for those families, for the Chesapeake community, and for the Commonwealth of Virginia, which just suffered a terrible shooting at the University of Virginia this month,’ he said, referring to the shooting on November 13.
Walmart is yet to give any kind of information about the shooter or the victims.
In a Twitter statement last night, the company said: ‘We are shocked at this tragic event at our Chesapeake, Virginia store.
‘We’re praying for those impacted, the community and our associates.
‘We’re working closely with law enforcement and we are focused on supporting our associates.’
A second Walmart employee, who showed up for their nightshift shortly after the shooting, told reporters at the scene: ‘Thank goodness I showed up late.’
The supercenter was open to the public at the time of the shooting – and cops said the Walmart may have been busy as shoppers were preparing for Thanksgiving.
It was due to close at 11pm on Tuesday night.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a tweet: ‘Our hearts break with the community of Chesapeake this morning. 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.’
Shattered glass on the front door of the home in Chesapeake where the shooter lived. SWAT teams raided the property this morning
Walmart’s statement after the shooting on Tuesday night. The company has not released any other information. Governor Glenn Youngkin also released a statement
The gunman, believed to be a manager at the store, started shooting people in a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia
The shooter is understood to be dead, police said. Cops also confirmed that there were seven dead following the tragic ordeal in Walmart
Leo Kosinski with Chesapeake PD briefs the media following the mass shooting at the Walmart store
Police putting out tape after the horrific shooting at the Walmart located just off Battlefield Boulevard in Virginia
Virginia state Senator Louise Lucas, who represents that portion of Chesapeake was among the first to release a statement on the shooting.
One Walmart employee who survived (above) told his social media followers that his manager walked into the staff room and open fire on his colleagues
She said: ‘I am absolutely heartbroken that America’s latest mass shooting took place in a Walmart in my district in Chesapeake, Virginia tonight.
‘I will not rest until we find the solutions to end this gun violence epidemic in our country that has taken so many lives.’
Representative Elaine Luria posted to Twitter: ‘Enough is enough’, while Virginia senator Mark Warner said: ‘Sickened by reports of yet another mass shooting, this time at a Walmart in Chesapeake.’
Just last week, another shooting rocked the state of Virginia after three college football players died when a former player opened fire on a field trip bus.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 22, shot into the bus at around 10.15pm, killing three people and injuring two more.
University of Virginia students Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were killed in the horrific shooting.
Prosecutors told the court that Devin Chandler was sleeping when he was shot dead.
The students were returning from a field trip last Sunday when the terror unfolded.
Jones faces second-degree murder and other charges stemming from the shooting, which set off a manhunt and 12-hour campus lockdown before he was apprehended in suburban Richmond.
Jones was remanded in custody without bond and will next appear in court in December at 9.30am.
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