Walmart Hit by Three Separate Shootings Within Hours

Walmart suffered a night of violence when the retailer was hit by three separate shootings within the space of two hours across the U.S. on Sunday evening.

An employee was reportedly left fighting for their life after being shot by an enraged customer during one assault, while two other shootings saw gunfire erupt outside stores as arguments exploded into attacks.

Walmart has 4,717 stores across the U.S., according to figures compiled by Statista, and the large venues are popular with shoppers, so see a lot of footfall each day. That means that statistically the chain will occasionally find itself to be the site of a shooting as the U.S. battles to deal with spiraling gun crime.

A Walmart spokesperson told Newsweek: "We take a comprehensive approach to promoting a safe shopping and work environment—including policies, training, monitoring, and response—as well as regular reviews of security protocols and practices. While we don't publicly discuss security measures we take in our stores, the safety of our associates and customers is a top priority. We are working closely with law enforcement and refer any additional questions to them."

Shots first rang out at a Walmart store in Cave Creek, Arizona, at around 5:15 p.m. A spokesperson for Maricopa County Sheriff's Office told local news station Fox 10 Phoenix that "an adult male went into the store and had an argument with someone from within the store. The male then left the store and upon exiting the store, fired several shots at the store." There were no reported injuries, but police have launched a search for the shooter after the incident at the junctions of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway.

Just 30 minutes later, a Walmart in Anniston, Alabama, saw a similar incident. Shots were fired outside the store on McClellan Boulevard at about 5:45 p.m. after an argument in the doorway spilled outside and spiraled out of control. WBRC 6 reported that two individuals were arguing when one, a man, opened fire. No one was hurt, according to reports, and there has not yet been word of any arrests, but the Walmart was closed as police investigated.

Not long afterwards—across the country in Pineville, North Carolina— a dispute between a Walmart customer and an employee turned potentially deadly when the shopper later returned to the store and shot the worker. The employee, who was attacked just before 6:30 p.m., suffered life-threatening injuries according to local channel WCNC. Another station, WSOC-TV, spoke to an unnamed witness off camera, who claimed the suspect was a man who had been trying to steal from the store when the employee remonstrated with him. Pineville Police Department have one person in custody, the channel added.

Sunday's Walmart shootings come just months after six people were killed when a Walmart manager opened fire inside his store in Chesapeake, Virginia. Andre Bing, 31, also left multiple people wounded before turning the gun on himself.

In a sign of how serious the gun crime situation has become, multiple countries have issued travel warnings to their citizens about the dangers of visiting America. The Gun Violence Archive, a database that collects information about shootings across the country, has calculated that 3,105 people have died after being shot so far this year, just one month into 2024, although that figure also includes suicides and accidental deaths.

Update 1/29/24, 5:45 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a new video and additional information.

Update 1/29/24, 12:10 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with a comment from a Walmart spokesperson.