Victims of Walmart Shooting in Beavercreek Remain Unidentified

Four shoppers, including two Black women, a white woman, and a white man, were injured in a shooting at a Walmart in Beavercreek, a suburb of Dayton, just days before Thanksgiving, according to the FBI. The investigation suggests that the shooting may have been partially motivated by racially violent extremist ideology.

The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Benjamin Charles Jones from Dayton, entered the store on Monday night carrying a Hi-Point 45-caliber Carbine long gun. He fired multiple rounds, injuring several victims before turning the weapon on himself. The authorities have been unable to reach Jones’ relatives for further information.

Police reported on Tuesday that three of the victims were in stable condition while one woman remained in critical but stable condition at local hospitals. The identities of the victims have not been disclosed by the authorities.

This incident occurred just one day after a man killed a woman before taking his own life outside a Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska. The Anchorage police stated that the shooting was related to domestic violence.

In 2019, a white gunman targeted Hispanic shoppers and killed 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Following that incident, Walmart discontinued the sales of certain types of ammunition and requested customers to refrain from openly carrying firearms in their stores. Currently, the retailer only sells hunting rifles and related ammunition.

The Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio has a history of violence. Almost ten years ago, a white police officer shot and killed 22-year-old John Crawford III after he picked up an unpackaged pellet rifle he found on a shelf. The family of the victim reached a settlement of $1.7 million with the city of Beavercreek, which also led to changes in police policy.

The investigation into the recent shooting is ongoing, and authorities are working to gather more information about the shooter’s motivations and any potential accomplices.