Gunman Opens Fire at Ohio Walmart, Injuring Four Shoppers and Killing Himself

Gunman injures four and kills himself in Ohio Walmart shooting

A gunman opened fire on Monday evening inside a Walmart store in Beavercreek, Ohio, injuring four people before taking his own life. This incident marks the second shooting in 24 hours to occur at a Walmart store.

The attack left three women and a man wounded, with three in stable condition and one woman in critical but stable condition at local hospitals. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims or confirmed whether the attack was racially motivated.

Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone expressed his condolences during a news conference, stating, “Tragedy struck our beloved community Monday evening, and, in the face of adversity, the strength of our community shines through.”

The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Benjamin Charles Jones from Dayton, entered the store at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Monday armed with a Hi-Point 45-caliber Carbine long gun. He fired multiple rounds, injuring several victims before turning the weapon on himself.

Efforts to contact Jones’ relatives were unsuccessful. Walmart is cooperating with investigators to understand the motive behind the shooting.

Eyewitness Christopher Suffron, who was shopping with his wife, recounted the terrifying experience. Upon hearing gunshots, they sought shelter and managed to escape through receiving doors. Suffron reported hearing additional shots as they fled.

This incident occurred just one day after a man fatally shot a woman before taking his own life outside a Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska. Police have determined the Anchorage shooting to be a domestic-violence related crime.

These two shootings come nearly a year after a Walmart supervisor in Chesapeake, Virginia, shot and killed six employees. Walmart has implemented measures to address gun violence, such as discontinuing sales of certain ammunition types and banning open carry of firearms in stores.

The Beavercreek Walmart store was previously involved in a fatal shooting incident in 2014, where a white police officer shot and killed a Black man who had picked up a pellet rifle. The family of the victim reached a settlement with the city of Beavercreek, which included changes in police policy.

Beavercreek Mayor Stone acknowledged the similarities between the two incidents but emphasized the tragedy and grieving process for the current shooting.