Andre Bing and the 2022 Chesapeake Walmart Massacre
Background
Andre Marcus Bing was a 31-year-old Walmart employee who carried out a mass shooting at the Walmart Supercenter located at 1521 Sam’s Circle in Chesapeake, Virginia, on November 22, 2022. Bing had worked for Walmart since 2010 and was serving as an overnight team leader at the Chesapeake store. His position gave him supervisory responsibilities over other employees working the night shift.
Several former coworkers later described Bing as difficult, hostile, and unpredictable. Employees reported that he sometimes spoke about violence, displayed a fixation on government surveillance, and appeared to believe that people at the store were conspiring against or mocking him. Some workers said they had previously complained about his conduct. However, Bing had no known criminal record that would have legally prevented him from purchasing a firearm.
Preparation for the Attack
On the morning of November 22, 2022, Bing legally purchased a 9mm semiautomatic handgun from a local firearms dealer. Investigators said he passed the required background check. He obtained the weapon only hours before carrying out the massacre.
Police later found ammunition, a box for the handgun, and paper targets inside Bing’s Chevrolet Silverado. The targets contained bullet holes, indicating that he had practiced firing the weapon before entering the Walmart that evening. Authorities also recovered multiple magazines from his body and evidence suggesting that the attack had been planned rather than committed during a sudden argument.
Bing left a written message on his cellphone that investigators described as a “death note.” In it, he complained that coworkers had mocked, betrayed, and harassed him. He referred to personal rejection, loneliness, workplace grievances, and his belief that other employees had compared him to serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. The note ended with a request for forgiveness for what he was about to do. Investigators considered the message evidence that Bing anticipated his own death and understood that he was preparing to kill other people.
The November 22, 2022 Shooting
The attack began shortly after 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22, 2022. Members of the overnight shift were gathering inside the employee break room for a routine meeting about assignments and responsibilities. Bing entered the room carrying the handgun and began firing at his coworkers.
Witnesses said the attack happened without warning. Bing reportedly did not announce a grievance or argue with the employees before opening fire. Survivors described people attempting to hide, flee through doors, or take cover beneath tables as shots were fired throughout the break room. Some witnesses believed that Bing deliberately approached particular employees and continued firing at victims after they had fallen.
After attacking workers in the break room, Bing moved into other portions of the store. Gunfire was reported in the sales area, and at least one victim was found near the front of the building. Terrified employees and customers escaped through emergency exits or hid in offices, stockrooms, bathrooms, and other concealed locations.
One employee who had worked at the store for only several days said Bing saw her during the attack but told her to go home instead of shooting her. Information discovered after the massacre indicated that Bing may have intended to target certain coworkers while sparing others. Police found lists containing employees’ names among evidence connected to him, although authorities did not publicly establish that every person listed was an intended victim.
Police Response
Chesapeake police received the first emergency report at approximately 10:12 p.m. Officers reached the Walmart within minutes and entered the enormous building while the situation remained uncertain. Police tactical teams searched the store section by section as surviving employees were evacuated.
Bing was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had killed himself before officers confronted him. Police declared the immediate danger over after determining that there was no second gunman, but the process of locating victims, assisting survivors, and clearing the building continued for an extended period.
Six Walmart employees were killed and four other people were wounded. The dead ranged in age from 16 to 70. Bing’s death brought the total number of fatalities at the scene to seven.
Victims of the Chesapeake Walmart Massacre
- Randall “Randy” Blevins, 70 — Blevins was killed on November 22, 2022, at the Walmart Supercenter on Sam’s Circle in Chesapeake, Virginia. He was a longtime Walmart employee and was remembered by coworkers as a kind and dependable man. He was a father and a coin collector who was known for his calm personality and willingness to help others.
- Lorenzo Gamble, 43 — Gamble was killed on November 22, 2022, inside the Chesapeake Walmart. He had worked at the store for many years and was a custodian on the overnight shift. Gamble was the father of two sons and was remembered for his devotion to his family, his enthusiasm for football, and his pride in his Ford Mustang.
- Brian Pendleton, 38 — Pendleton died during the November 22, 2022 attack at the Sam’s Circle Walmart. He worked as a maintenance employee and was described as thoughtful, supportive, and protective of his coworkers. Pendleton reportedly had a congenital brain condition but remained committed to working and maintaining his independence.
- Kellie Pyle, 52 — Pyle was killed at the Chesapeake Walmart on November 22, 2022. She had recently begun working at the store after returning to the Hampton Roads area. Family members described her as generous, loving, and deeply devoted to her children and grandchildren. She was engaged and had been preparing to marry in 2023.
- Tyneka Johnson, 22 — Johnson was killed on November 22, 2022, while working at the Walmart in Chesapeake. She was among the first victims publicly identified following the massacre. Relatives and friends remembered her as cheerful, kindhearted, and capable of making others laugh. She had recently started working at the store.
- Fernando Chavez-Barron, 16 — Chavez-Barron was the youngest person killed in the attack. He died on November 22, 2022, at the Chesapeake Walmart, where he worked while attending school. He was remembered as a hardworking and caring teenager. According to people close to his family, he used money from his first paycheck to purchase a gift for his mother.
The Injured and Surviving Employees
Four people suffered gunshot wounds or other injuries during the attack. Some remained hospitalized through the Thanksgiving holiday, including one person who was initially listed in critical condition. Numerous other employees experienced psychological trauma after witnessing coworkers being shot, hiding from the gunman, or escaping while believing that they might be killed.
Survivors later described the confusion inside the store as alarms sounded and people ran in different directions. Some employees helped one another reach exits, while others remained hidden until police officers found them. The massacre left many workers struggling with grief, anxiety, nightmares, and fear of returning to a retail workplace.
Investigation and Evidence
Investigators searched Bing’s residence in Chesapeake, his pickup truck, his cellphone, and other property. They recovered ammunition, magazines, firearm-related materials, notes containing employees’ names, and documents reflecting his resentment toward coworkers. A similar list of names was reportedly discovered at his home.
Police determined that Bing acted alone. There was no evidence that another person helped plan or execute the shooting. Because Bing killed himself at the scene, he could not be arrested, questioned, or prosecuted. The investigation therefore focused on reconstructing his preparations, identifying his possible targets, determining how he obtained the weapon, and documenting what occurred inside the store.
The evidence indicated that the massacre was motivated primarily by Bing’s perceived workplace mistreatment and personal grievances. His written note accused other employees of ridiculing and betraying him, but investigators did not find evidence that the victims had committed acts that could explain or justify the violence. His statements reflected his own resentments and distorted perceptions rather than a legitimate threat posed by his coworkers.
Warnings and Lawsuits
Following the shooting, survivors alleged that Walmart managers had previously received warnings about Bing’s conduct. Employees claimed that he had made disturbing statements, threatened workers, and behaved in ways that caused them to fear him. One survivor filed a lawsuit accusing Walmart of failing to address known concerns before the attack.
Additional lawsuits were filed by people affected by the massacre. The legal claims focused on whether the company should have taken stronger action in response to complaints about Bing and whether more effective workplace intervention could have reduced the danger. Walmart disputed allegations that it was legally responsible for Bing’s criminal actions.
Community Response and Memorials
The shooting occurred two days before Thanksgiving and caused widespread grief throughout Chesapeake and the surrounding Hampton Roads region. Vigils were held for the victims, and mourners placed flowers, candles, photographs, balloons, and handwritten messages near the store. Churches, community organizations, city officials, and local residents provided assistance to the victims’ families and surviving employees.
The Walmart remained closed for nearly five months while the interior was renovated. It reopened on April 19, 2023. The remodeled property included changes intended to help employees and customers return to the location, and an outdoor memorial area was created to honor the six workers who had been murdered.
Aftermath
The Chesapeake Walmart massacre became one of the deadliest workplace shootings in Virginia history. It renewed public discussion about workplace violence, employee complaints, firearm access, threat assessment procedures, and the responsibility of employers to respond when workers report threatening behavior.
Andre Bing’s attack lasted only minutes, but it destroyed six families and permanently affected an entire community. Randall Blevins, Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Tyneka Johnson, and Fernando Chavez-Barron went to work at the Sam’s Circle Walmart on November 22, 2022, expecting an ordinary overnight shift. Their lives were taken by a supervisor who had converted private resentment and perceived humiliation into a planned act of mass murder.
