A white gunman who opened fire inside a Walmart in Ohio, injuring four people before taking his own life, may have been motivated by racist extremism, according to the FBI. The attack occurred in Beavercreek, a suburb of Dayton, just days before Thanksgiving. The victims included two Black women, a white woman, and a white man. The FBI stated that evidence, including journal writings, suggests that racially violent extremist ideology may have played a role in the shooting. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Benjamin Charles Jones, entered the store on Monday night carrying a Hi-Point 45-caliber Carbine long gun. After firing an unknown number of rounds and injuring several victims, Jones turned the weapon on himself.
The Associated Press attempted to contact Jones’ relatives but was unsuccessful. Investigations revealed that Jones had purchased the gun two days before the attack in Dayton. Authorities are currently checking whether he provided false information on his background check form and are delving into his background and online activities. Three of the victims are in stable condition, while one woman remains in critical but stable condition.
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This incident occurred just a day after a man shot and killed a woman before fatally shooting himself outside a Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska. The police in Anchorage confirmed that it was a domestic violence-related crime.
In 2019, a white gunman targeted Hispanic shoppers in a racist attack at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 23 people. As a response, Walmart discontinued sales of certain types of ammunition and prohibited customers from openly carrying firearms in their stores. The retailer now only sells hunting rifles and related ammunition.
It is worth noting that the Walmart in Beavercreek was also the site of a fatal shooting involving the police nearly a decade ago. In 2014, a white police officer shot and killed 22-year-old John Crawford III after he picked up an unpackaged pellet rifle from a shelf. The family of the victim reached a $1.7 million settlement with the city of Beavercreek, which included changes in police policies.
