CNN—
Authorities have identified five of the six people who died at a Virginia Walmart after the store manager began shooting Tuesday night before killing himself.
Five of the deceased victims were identified as Lorenzo Gamble; Brian Pendleton; Kellie Pyle; Randall Blevins; and Tyneka Johnson, according toa statement on Wednesdayof the city of Chesapeake.
The sixth victim killed was a 16-year-old boy whose name authorities are not identifying because he was a minor, the city said.
All six victims were Walmart employees, a company spokesperson told CNN.
"The City of Chesapeake has always been known as the 'City that Cares' and now, more than ever, we know our City will step up and care for those who need it most," the statement said. "Please join us in praying for the family and friends of these lost members of the community."
(From top left) Lorenzo Gamble, Kellie Pyle, Brian Pendleton, Tyneka Johnson and Randy Blevins
On Wednesday morning, the cityidentifiedthe shooter asAndrew Bing, 31 years old, saying that he was "armed with a gun and had several magazines with him".
Bing was a "night crew leader" and had been employed at Walmart since 2010, the company said in a statement.
Authorities were investigating the shooter's background Wednesday for information on what might have motivated the attack, police said.is
"The police will do what they can and I promise you more information will come," Chesapeake Mayor Rick West said.isin a video message posted Wednesday night.
The violence marks another mass shooting in a location traditionally seen as safe, from schools to hospitals to shops.
Just 170 miles west of Chesapeake, a 22-year-old student at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville allegedlyopened fire on his companionsthis month, killing three of them on a bus returning to campus from a field trip to Washington, DC.
Last weekend, a 22-year-old shot andkilled five people in an LGBTQ nightclubin Colorado Springs, Colo., and 19 other people were injured, authorities said.
The United States has suffered more than 600 mass shootings so far this year, according to thegun violence file. Both the nonprofit organization and CNN define mass shootings as those in which four or more people are shot, not including the assailant.
The manager came in and 'started spraying'
At least 50 people were inside the Walmart when the violence broke out, police said. Some of them began to publicly share their accounts of how a quiet night turned into a terrible tragedy.
The deadly riot began around 10:12 p.m. Tuesday, less than an hour before Walmart Supercenter closes.
The first officer arrived on the scene within two minutes and officers entered the store about two minutes later at around 10:16 p.m. m.is
Employee Kevin Harper said a colleague walked into the cafeteria and started shooting.
"I just came out of the break room ... (the shooter) starts trapping people in there," Harper said in a Facebook Live video. The video is no longer on her Facebook page, but has been re-shared on social media.
“He went in there and started spraying,” Harper said.
At least six more people were transported to local hospitals for treatment, one of whom remained in critical condition on Wednesday, city officials said.isAuthorities were also working to determine if there were any additional injuries that were self-reported.
Jalon Jones, 24, was shot multiple times by the attacker on Tuesday, his mother, Kimberly Shupe, told CNN affiliate.wtkr.Shupe addressed reporters Wednesday outside the hospital where her son was in the intensive care unit in stable condition.
"Three people, including the shooter, were found dead in the store's break room," the city of Chesapeake said.tweeted. “A victim was located dead in front of the store. Three other victims were transported to local hospitals for further treatment, but succumbed to their injuries."
Customer Jeromy Basham, who was at Walmart Tuesday night to buy tablecloths, said he heard the sound of gunshots and a few seconds later, people started running out of the store.
"It was loud as fuck, but there were so many of the same type of sound that I don't know what else it could have been," he said in a video posted on his Facebook page.
For a while, Basham took cover after officials warned him, "Don't go," before he was finally able to get out safely.
Once outside, he saw officers enter the store wearing heavy armor and carrying long rifles, while other witnesses and employees remained in the parking lot. In additional videos from Basham, dozens of first responders are seen on the scene.
'This one is especially painful'
Joetta Jeffery said her mother, Betsy Umphlett, sent text messages from inside the store saying bullets were flying.
"I'm crying, I'm shaking," Jeffery told CNN. "I had been talking to her about buying turkeys for Thanksgiving, then I got this message."
Police on Wednesday continued to process the scene of a Tuesday night mass shooting that killed six people at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Jeffery said his mother is not hurt but traumatized by the tragedy.
A reunification center was set up at the Chesapeake Conference Center for families seeking details about their loved ones who were in the store. City officials have asked that only family members or emergency contacts of those inside visit the center.
John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart USA, said the mass shooting in Chesapeake was uniquely tragic because the shooter was an employee.
“We feel tragedies like this personally and deeply. But this one is especially heartbreaking because we discovered the shooter was a Walmart associate," Furner said in a statement. “The entire Walmart family is heartbroken. Our hearts and prayers go out to those affected and we are grateful for the actions of first responders."
The FBI's Norfolk Division said the agency is assisting the Chesapeake Police Department with the investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Amanda Jackson, Aya Elamroussi, Paul P. Murphy, David Williams, Michelle Watson, Chris Boyette, Holmes Lybrand, Dave Alsup, Joe Sutton, Braden Walker, Lauren Koenig, Brian Todd, Andy Rose y Josh Campbell contribuyeron a este informe.