Businesses reflect on mass shooting at Chesapeake Walmart two years later

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia. Friday marked two years since a store supervisor shot and killed six of his co-workers at the Chesapeake Walmart.

A few moments later he shot himself.

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Since then, News 3 has shared emotional stories from family members, presented an Everyday Hero award to the officer who responded to the shooting and detailed the numerous lawsuits filed in connection with the shooting.

We are now contacting local businesses to see how they feel about the shooting.

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As Matt Hayes prepared to serve customers at his restaurant Friday, the 2022 tragedy at Walmart less than a mile away was not lost on him.

“I go into this Walmart every now and then, and there’s definitely this weird, dark feeling around this time of year when you remember what happened a couple of years ago,” Hayes said.

Look: Chesapeake Mayor Rick West reflects on the Walmart mass shooting a year later.

Chesapeake Mayor Rick West reflects on the Walmart mass shooting a year later.

Hayes and people from other businesses in the area that News 3 spoke with Friday said some people are still refusing to go to Walmart because of what happened. Other businesses also say the shooting is still sad and they just want peace for everyone.

On Friday, the permanent memorial at Walmart was empty except for a bouquet of flowers under a plaque on the wall.

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Hayes said he made no changes. in his business after the Walmart shooting.

“It’s one of those things that I don’t think you can always prepare for,” Hayes said.

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Ron Gorsline is the Director of Investigations at Eagle Security Solutions, Inc. in Chesapeake. The company provides security services for businesses.

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PTSD expert offers advice on anniversary of Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting

He said the first step in protecting a business is understanding what type of threat the business faces. What happened at Walmart is considered an insider threat. Combating them is not easy and requires companies to have appropriate policies in place.

“It could be anything from hiring someone and giving them a psychological assessment test. That’s one thing. But sometimes you can run into HIPPA issues,” Gorsline explained.

In April 2023, Walmart held a grand opening ceremony for the store, which had been closed since the shooting.

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The store underwent extensive renovations, including changes to the break room where the shooting occurred.

On opening day, News 3 anchor Pari Cruz spoke with her mother Lorenzo Gamble, one of the victims. Gamble’s mother said the memorial and opening of the store felt like a “slap in the face” at the time.

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Mom of Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting victim weighs in on store memorial

Hayes hopes the community can heal over time.

“The community has definitely come together. There was a (temporary) memorial there for a while, and I hope people are starting to move past the grief and sadness,” Hayes said.

In a statement to News 3 on Friday, a Walmart spokesperson said: The two-year anniversary is a sad day and he said: “We continue to support our colleagues and they will have a private moment of remembrance to reflect on this tragic anniversary.”