Walmart Employee Opens Fire After Hours in Georgia, Killing 2 Co-Workers

According to police, a Walmart employee shot and killed a co-worker in an after-hours spree. The shooting began at the store before the individual went on to kill another co-worker near a home.

According to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, an initial shooting occurred in a Walmart in Covington (Georgia), about 35 miles east of Atlanta, around 1:30 am on Friday.

According to an initial investigation, Dwayne Eduh, 24, a police-identified employee, left the building just before the shooting and returned with a gun.

Eduh found a male friend in the store and shot him to death, according to the sheriff’s office.

Later, he encountered a second friend outside Walmart and also shot him. The person in question was taken to a hospital and transported there in a critical condition. However, the sheriff’s department reports that this person has now been upgraded to stable.

The sheriff’s department said that Eduh left the area, went to a nearby neighborhood, forced their way into a home, found another female friend, and shot her dead.

This was not a situation of an active shooter. “The suspect targeted specific individuals they knew,” the sheriff’s department said in a press release.

The store was empty at the time the shooting occurred.

Police have identified the deceased victims as Khalaf Barksdale, 21, and Akeela Clare, 19, respectively. Ryan Bradley, 29, is in stable condition.

Eduh fled the area after a short standoff between Aiken County sheriff’s officers and South Carolina state troopers. According to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, he then shot himself. He was taken to a hospital. Aiken County lies on the Georgia/South Carolina border, about two hours away from Covington.

No deputies sustained injuries. Officials said that Eduh is still in custody in critical condition.

The investigation is still ongoing.

We’re deeply saddened by what happened. Violence has no place in our stores. Walmart’s statement on Friday said that it was focused on supporting the investigation of law enforcement and taking care of its associates.