A nonprofit health care organization donated thousands of dollars to the families of victims killed in the Chesapeake mass shooting on its first anniversary.
A representative from Sentara Health presented a $15,000 check to the families yesterday during a special memorial luncheon held by community leaders from across Hampton Roads.
Andre Bing opened fire in the break room of the Walmart in Sam’s Circuit, Chesapeake, where 14 employees had gathered for a pre-shift meeting on November 22, 2022.
Bing’s rampage killed a total of six people, including a 16-year-old boy.
The victims were Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins and Tyneka Johnson. The name and photo of the sixth deceased victim have not been included due to his age.
A representative from Sentara Health presented a $15,000 check to the families yesterday during a special memorial luncheon held by community leaders from across Hampton Roads.
Andre Bing had opened fire in the cafeteria of the Walmart in Sam’s Circuit, Chesapeake, where fourteen employees had gathered for a pre-shift meeting last year
Mary Bibbs, organizer of the event titled “Our Path Forward,” said, “How do we all come together and tackle violence, mental health and opioid abuse? How do we move the needle in the right direction?
“We know that last year’s incident, that mass shooting, could happen anywhere, at any time.”
A representative from Sentara told the audience about the changes the hospital is looking at. “We’re really trying to address those social determinants of health,” the speaker said.
“That entire check goes to the families of the victims,” Bibbs said. “We will ensure that it is distributed equally to the families of the victims.”
Pastor Deb Wacker also took the stage and said, “The faster mental health and mental health providers respond to an incident, it promotes resilience and healing after the incident.”
While people who attended the event appreciated the donation, they urged leaders to do more to support families in the long term.
Mary Bibbs, organizer of the “Our Path Forward” event, said: “How do we all come together and tackle violence, mental health and opioid abuse? How do we move the needle in the right direction?’
While those who attended the event appreciated the donation, they urged leaders to do more to support families in the long term
The city had identified the shooter as Bing and said he was “armed with one handgun and carrying multiple magazines.”
There were fifty people in the store at the time, probably finishing up some last-minute Thanksgiving shopping.
Bing opened fire in the canteen at the back of the store. He shot ten people before killing himself.
When police searched his body, they found a list of names of colleagues he wanted to target, according to a local newspaper in Virginia. WAVYciting an anonymous source.
Two of the victims were found next to Bing in the cafeteria when police arrived, and a third was found at the front of the store.
Three others were taken to hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries.
Bing opened fire in the canteen at the back of the store. He shot ten people before killing himself
Survivors shared harrowing details about how the shooter was known to be problematic among staff.
Briana Tyler, who had worked at the store for two months, said Good morning America that he was the one who ‘had to be looked out for’.
‘There was always something going on, he just had a problem with someone, but I never expected it to reach such a level. He was the manager that everyone had something to say about.’ Witnesses also described how some bodies were carried out in shopping carts.
Jeromy Basham, who was shopping, told me The New York Times he saw at least one body being carried in a cart. Two of the victims died in hospital.
“As soon as my team leader said, ‘Okay, we’re having a light night tonight,’ I looked up and my manager just opened the door and he just opened fire.”
Briana Tyler, who survived the shooting, describes how the gunman opened fire within minutes of the night team showing up for their shift
The gunman opened fire in the canteen at the back of the store around 10:12 p.m. The first 911 calls came in at 10:12 p.m. and police arrived at the scene at 10:14 p.m. They entered the store at 10:16 p.m., when the gunman had committed suicide
‘He wasn’t referring to anyone specifically. He literally started shooting all over the cafeteria and I saw several people fall to the ground, whether they were trying to take cover or getting hit.
“He didn’t say a word, he didn’t say anything at all…”
“He just came around the corner and started shooting,” Briana Tyler said Good morning America.
Others tell a different story of a targeted, planned attack in which the shooter deliberately killed other executives.
Employee Jessie Wilczewski said she was hiding under a table when the gunman “looked right at her” and told her to go home.
‘It didn’t even seem real until you felt the… ‘pow-pow-pow’, you can feel it.
Former colleagues called Bing “weird” and said he was so paranoid about being watched by the government that he recorded his phone camera.
After the donation was made, Walmart executives released a statement saying, “Not a day goes by that we don’t think of and remember the six individuals who lost their lives. This is a tough week for our employees and we are doing everything we can to support them.”