In the early morning hours of April 11, 2025, a tragic and violent series of events unfolded in Covington, Georgia, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Khalaf Barksdale. The young man was working an overnight shift at the Walmart Supercenter on Salem Road when a coworker, 24-year-old Dwayne Eduh, initiated a shooting spree. The store was closed to the public at the time, with only employees present inside.
The incident began around 1:30 a.m. when Eduh, after having a manager let him back into the building under the pretense of retrieving a forgotten bag, returned with a firearm. He then sought out and fatally shot Barksdale inside the store. Following the initial shooting, Eduh also shot and injured another coworker, 29-year-old Ryan Bradley, before fleeing the premises. Barksdale was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The violence did not end at the Walmart. Eduh proceeded to a residence on Emerson Trail, approximately two miles away, where he forcibly entered the home of another coworker, 19-year-old Akeela Clarke. He then shot and killed her in front of her family members. Authorities have stated that Eduh specifically targeted individuals he knew, though a motive for the attacks has not been determined. All four individuals involved were employees at the same Walmart and were described by the Newton County Sheriff's Office as 'acquaintances.'
After the shootings, Eduh fled eastward on Interstate 20 into South Carolina. Law enforcement officials were able to track him and, following a brief standoff with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office and South Carolina State Troopers, Eduh took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital in Augusta in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries. The case is considered an active investigation, though the death of the sole suspect concludes the potential for criminal prosecution.
