Walmart set to reopen Chesapeake, Virginia, store closed after shooting

Later this month, Walmart is slated to reopen its Supercenter at 1521 Sam’s Circle in Chesapeake, Virginia, where in late November an overnight manager shot and killed six people and wounded six others.

The Chesapeake store, No. 1841, underwent a significant remodel in the five months since the incident, and the redesign includes an outdoor memorial space to honor the victims and serve as a comfort area for the survivors, Walmart said Monday. Plans call for the location to open its doors at 10 a.m. on April 19 following a 9 a.m. ceremony attended by associates, customers and the community.

Walmart noted that the memorial at the store will feature local foliage and six seating structures to recognize the six Walmart employees who lost their lives, providing a peaceful area for remembrance.

The memorial space will be situated beside the front of the Chesapeake Supercenter. / Image courtesy of Walmart

“We are deeply touched by the community’s compassion and support as we continue to heal from last year’s tragedy,” Alycia Mixon, store manager for the Chesapeake Walmart, said 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.”

The Chesapeake Walmart’s upgrade also will bring customers an enhanced in-store experience, according to Walmart. Highlights of the remodel include expanded shopping options, more engaging displays, interactive features and a refreshed look inside and outside. Walmart said the renovation reflects its “store of the future” concepts, featuring the company’s latest retail innovation and customer-friendly design elements.

“Our associates have been working hard to prepare the store for the community, and they look forward to welcoming back our customers,” Mixon added.

Walmart noted that the memorial is part of a significant remodel of the Chesapeake store. / Image courtesy of Walmart

The shooting took place after about 10 p.m. on Nov. 22, when night-shift team leader Andre Bing, a Walmart employee since 2010, pulled out a 9mm handgun inside the Chesapeake store and began firing, moving into the breakroom and then continuing to shoot while walking the aisles. Police entering the store found Bing dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In the days following the shooting, Walmart said it was working with Chesapeake store associates to determine the best time to reopen the location. Walmart reported that it also was helping the families of the victims with funeral, travel and other expenses. Employees killed in the shooting were Randy Blevins, an overnight stock associate; Fernando “Jesus” Chavez-Barron, an 11th-grade honors student; Lorenzo Gamble, a custodian; Tyneka Johnson, an overnight associate; Brian Pendleton, a custodian; and Kellie Pyle, an overnight associate.

Not long after the incident, an overnight worker at the Chesapeake Supercenter who was wounded in the shooting filed a $50 million lawsuit against Walmart, claiming that the retailer overlooked signs of “disturbing and threatening behavior” exhibited by Bing.

Overall, Walmart operates six stores in Chesapeake and 149 total locations in Virginia, where it has more than 44,000 employees.