2 dead, 1 hurt after employee opens fire at Walmart and nearby home, deputies say
ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - Authorities in Georgia say two people were killed Friday morning after a worker fired shots inside a Covington Walmart and a nearby home.
Newton County deputies were called to the Walmart Supercenter on Salem Road at around 1:30 a.m. The store was closed, and only employees were inside the building.
According to deputies, one of the employees, identified as 24-year-old Dwayne Eduh, left the building, got a gun and went back inside to shoot and kill another employee.
Eduh ran into another employee outside the Walmart and shot him, too. That person was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Authorities said Eduh then went about two miles away to a house on Emerson Trail, broke in and fatally shot a woman, who deputies said was also a co-worker.
The sheriff’s office identified the deceased as Khalaf Barksdale, 21, and Akeela Clarke, 19. Ryan Bradley, 29, was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” the sheriff’s office said. “The suspect specifically targeted individuals they knew.”
Eduh was found and arrested in Aiken, South Carolina, about 150 miles east of Covington.
Eduh shot himself during a standoff with Aiken County deputies on Interstate 20. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. No deputies were injured.
“Akeela was one of the most vibrant and joyful individuals you could ever meet, and this tragedy will leave an enduring wound in our family,” her sister wrote in an online fundraiser for Clarke’s memorial service. “... No parent should ever have to bury their child, let alone witness their death.”
In a statement, Walmart said the team is “heartbroken” by what happened.
“There’s no place for violence in our stores,” the statement continued. “We’re focused on taking care of our associates and ing law enforcement with their investigation.”
Deputies said the Walmart would be closed on Friday.
This isn’t the first time the Covington Walmart has seen violence between employees. Last October, two men were arrested after deputies said they fired shots at each other during an argument in the store’s parking lot.
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