Seven people died Tuesday night when an employee opened fire with a pistol inside a Chesapeake, Virginia, Walmart, Police Chief Mark G. Solesky said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Casualties included the gunman, who opened fire around 10 p.m. in the store’s break room.
The shooter turned the gun on himself, the chief said, and he was not known to police previously.
The name of the assailant and the other victims have not been released, pending notification of relatives. According to The New York Post, one employee took to social media immediately after the incident and claimed the gunman was a manager.
A local hospital said at least five people were being treated for injuries.
One man, overcome with emotion, walked out of the hospital emergency room around 2 a.m. Wednesday.
“They killed my brother,” he yelled as he ran away, the Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reported.
The incident was the second mass shooting at a Walmart in recent years. A 2019 shooting at a Walmart in El Paso killed 22.
Tuesday’s shooting also came just three days after a Colorado nightclub massacre that killed five.
Walmart released a statement Wednesday morning on Twitter.
“We’re praying for those impacted, the community and our associates,” tweeted the retailer. “We’re working closely with law enforcement, and we are focused on supporting our associates.”
Some associates at the store near Norfolk were just starting their overnight shift when the incident happened, according to reports.
