31-year-old Walmart manager identified as shooter

31-year-old overnight manager at Walmart shot and killed six people at a store bustling with Thanksgiving holiday shoppers before turning the pistol on himself, authorities said Wednesday, in America’s second high-profile mass shooting in four days.

Four other people remained hospitalised in unknown condition following the Tuesday night rampage in Chesapeake, Virginia, police chief Mark Solesky said.

The gunman is believed to have died of a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Solesky told reporters, adding that the motive behind the country’s latest outburst of gun violence was not yet known.

City authorities identified the shooter as Chesapeake resident

Andre Bing, saying he was armed with one handgun and multiple magazines.

Walmart confirmed in a statement that Bing was an overnight team lead, employed with the company since 2010.

An employee named Briana Tyler – who survived the attack – earlier described scenes of terror as the store manager entered a staff break room, and opened fire.

“He wasn’t aiming at anybody specifically,” Tyler told ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ programme.

“He just literally started shooting throughout the entire break room and I watched multiple people just drop down to the floor, whether they were trying to duck for cover or they were hit.” She said the gunman looked right at her and fired but missed by mere inches.

“He didn’t say a word, he didn’t say anything at all,” Tyler said.

The shooter and two victims were found dead in the break room, while another body was found next to the front of the store, the city said. Three people taken to hospital with gunshot wounds later died.

The youngest of the victims was 16 years old, officials said.

Tyler, the store employee, told ABC that the manager in question had a reputation as a difficult character.

“He was the manager to look out for because there was always something going on with him, just having an issue with someone,” she said.

“I would’ve never thought he would do something like this.” — AFP

— AFP photo A Virginia State Police officer watches the police line set up at the site of the fatal shooting at the Chesapeake Walmart Supercentre in Virginia.