Before Virginia store massacre, Walmart shooter railed at co-workers in ‘death note’

• Andre Bing killed six co-workers on Tuesday at a shop in Virginia.
• He purchased a weapon and left a rambling note on his cell phone.
• Walmart stores in Virginia Beach and Lumberton, N.C., received threatening phone calls Friday.
• Walmart says there is “no justification for sacrificing innocent lives”.
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A Walmart supervisor who killed six co-workers on Tuesday at a shop in Virginia purchased a weapon on the day of the killing and left a rambling note on his cellphone in which he railed against other employees he believed had insulted and betrayed him.

The city of Chesapeake revealed information on the firearm purchase and note on Friday as an update to its investigation into the shooting, in which Andre Bing, 31, opened fire on other employees before turning the gun on himself.

In a separate shooting on Friday, Walmart reported that a North Carolina Supercenter had been evacuated. According to a local CBS affiliate, one individual was shot at the store, and police were seeking a suspect. The Lumberton police department did not reply immediately to a request for comment.

Approximately 20 miles east of Chesapeake, two Walmart stores in Virginia Beach received threatening phone calls on Friday, according to police. The day after Thanksgiving has historically been the busiest shopping day of the year, known as “Black Friday.”

According to witnesses and authorities, Bing, a team leader for the overnight shift, was equipped with a revolver when he shot some but not all of the employees gathered in a break room before to their shift on Tuesday, raising the possibility that he targeted individuals.

Investigators discovered ammunition and several things related to the 9mm handgun, including a receipt, during a search of his residence, according to an update from Chesapeake, a city with a population of 251,000 located around 200 miles (320 km) south of Washington.

“The gun was legally purchased from a local store on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 22. He had no criminal history,” the city said in a statement on Friday.

In his note, Bing referred to an undisclosed work failure on his side as well as perceived slights from coworkers, whom he believed were mocking him. He stated that he feared his phone had been hacked and was experiencing “the worst possible feeling.”

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“The associates gave me evil twisted grins, mocked me, and celebrated my downfall the last day,” he wrote. “That’s why they suffer the same fate as me.”

According to GunViolenceArchive.org, the United States averages two mass shootings per day, defined as an incident killing or injuring four or more people. The Chesapeake shooting followed a weekend massacre in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where a gunman killed five at an LGBTQ nightclub, and represents the most recent instance of gun violence in the country.

Bing stated in the paper marked “death note” that he intended to spare a redacted individual because she held a particular place in his heart, citing the death of his mother from cancer.

When asked to respond to Bing’s email, Walmart issued the following statement: “There is no justification for sacrificing innocent lives. Our emphasis remains on the bereaved families and on assisting our employees during this difficult period.”

In addition to the seven fatalities, including Bing, two individuals are currently being treated at local hospitals. The city stated that one is in critical condition and the other is improving.

The victims ranged in age from a teenager to a guy in his seventies. Monday evening, the mayor of Chesapeake, Rick West, invited the community to a vigil to honor the victims. The gathering will take place approximately three miles south of the massive Walmart Supercenter where the shooting occurred, in a public park.

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