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Former Walmart employee warned management of shooter’s behavior

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – A former employee of the Chesapeake Walmart that was the scene of a mass shooting is speaking out one week after the shooting, saying she sounded the alarm about the shooter’s behavior at work.

On Nov. 22, an overnight team lead at Walmart in Chesapeake opened fire, killing six employees before turning the gun on himself.

The employee, who asked to remain anonymous throughout the investigation, began working at the store in August 2019. She says she worked under the shooter for almost a year, before she quit last May.  

She told WAVY his abrasive management style had the overnight team on edge and said he would critique and even sabotage their work. She describes his demeanor as erratic.

“One day he was oddly happy and the next day he was creepy. He constantly would come by and harass me saying I wasn’t moving fast enough, even doing the work for four people,” she said. “He made a speech that he was going to put the fear of god in associates if we didn’t move faster.”

The woman says that she reported him to Walmart’s corporate office, but the complaint was referred back to the store’s management. The woman says that nothing changed.

10 On Your Side asked Walmart about the allegations. A spokeswoman referred us to a statement released yesterday, referencing a lawsuit filed by another woman.