A white gunman who shot and wounded four people before taking his own life inside a Walmart in Ohio may have been driven 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, indicated that the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Benjamin Charles Jones, may have been influenced by racially violent extremist ideology. Jones entered the store on Monday night armed with a Hi-Point 45-caliber Carbine long gun, firing multiple rounds and injuring several individuals before turning the weapon on himself.
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Attempts to reach Jones’ relatives were unsuccessful, and investigations revealed that he purchased the gun just two days before the attack in Dayton. Authorities are now examining whether false information was provided on his background check form and are delving into his background and online activity.
As of Tuesday, three of the victims were in stable condition, while one woman remained in critical but stable condition. The identities of the victims have not been disclosed by authorities.
This incident in Ohio occurred a day after a man in Anchorage, Alaska, shot and killed a woman before taking his own life outside a Walmart. The Anchorage Police confirmed that it was a domestic-violence-related crime.
In 2019, a white gunman carried out a racist attack at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 23 people, mainly Hispanic shoppers. Following this tragedy, Walmart discontinued the sale of certain types of ammunition and prohibited customers from openly carrying firearms in their stores. The retailer now exclusively sells hunting rifles and related ammunition.
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Interestingly, the Ohio Walmart store where Monday’s shooting took place was also the site of a fatal shooting involving police almost a decade ago. In 2014, a white police officer shot and killed 22-year-old John Crawford III, who had picked up an unpackaged pellet rifle from a shelf. Crawford’s family reached a settlement of $1.7 million with the city of Beavercreek, which included changes in police policy.
The investigation into the Ohio Walmart shooting continues as authorities strive to understand the motivations behind this act of violence.
