A gunman killed several people at a Walmart store in the US state of Virginia late Tuesday, police said, adding that the suspect in the lone gunman was also dead.
The outbreak of gun violence in the city of Chesapeake comes just before Americans begin celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, and follows another mass shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado that left five people dead.
“We were able to find multiple casualties and multiple injured parties,” Chesapeake Police Department Officer Leo Kosinski told reporters, adding that rapid response officers and tactical teams entered the store “immediately” after arriving on the scene.
“We believe there is only one shooter and only one shooter is dead at this time,” he said, without clarifying how the alleged shooter died.
The emergency calls were made just before 10pm on Tuesday (0300 GMT on Wednesday), while the store was still open.
News footage showed a heavy police presence at the scene, and Kosinski said several officers and investigators were carefully searching the store and securing the area.
The exact death toll was unclear. Kosinski told reporters that police believed more than 10 people were killed.
Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, released a statement early Wednesday saying, “We are shocked by this tragic event.”
The company added that it was “praying for those affected, the community and our partners. We are working closely with law enforcement and are focused on helping our partners.”
AFP
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