Walmart to Reopen Chesapeake Store Five Months After Shooting
Walmart will reopen its Chesapeake, Va. store, five months after a Walmart employee opened fire and killed six people on Nov. 22, police said.
The store had been closed since the November shooting, which also left four people in the hospital. Police said the suspect was a Walmart employee who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The store is scheduled to reopen on Apr. 19., with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m.
“We are deeply touched by the community’s compassion and support as we continue to heal from last year’s tragedy,” said Walmart store manager Alycia Mixon in a statement “As we move forward with our reopening, we do so in a way that honors the victims and provides continued support to our associates.”
She added: “Our associates have been working hard to prepare the store for the community and they look forward to welcoming back our customers.”
According to the retailer, the Chesapeake store has been redesigned and will include an outdoor memorial for the victims of the shooting. Inside the store, the remodel will also include expanded shopping options and interactive displays.
The shooting at the Chesapeake store in November marked another violent shooting to occur in a U.S. Walmart store.
In August 2019, 23 people died after a shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. A few days prior, a disgruntled employee at a Mississippi Walmart store killed two co-workers and injured a police officer. A few months later, two men and one woman were fatally shot in a Walmart parking lot in Duncan, Okla.
“I am devastated by the senseless act of violence that took place late last night in our city,” said Chesapeake Mayor Rick West said in a statement after the Chesapeake shooting. “My prayers are with all those affected — the victims, their family, their friends and their coworkers.”