PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Flags will fly at half-staff across Virginia on Wednesday on the one-year anniversary of the Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, saying U.S. and Virginia flags at all state and local buildings and grounds will be lowered from sunrise to sunset.
The store off Battlefield Boulevard, which has since reopened, will also close early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday to give employees a chance to reflect and grieve.
The shooting on Nov. 22, 2022 by a Walmart employee took the lives of six of his colleagues: 38-year-old Brian Pendleton of Chesapeake, 52-year-old Kellie Pyle of Chesapeake, 43-year-old Lorenzo Gamble of Chesapeake, 70-year-old Randy Blevins of Chesapeake, 22-year-old Tyneka Johnson of Portsmouth and 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron of Chesapeake, and injured others.
Since the shooting, several employees have filed lawsuits against Walmart, saying Walmart was negligent because it knew about the shooter’s behavior at work and failed to fire him.
And just this week, WAVY obtained a ruling by a judge who decided a $50 million lawsuit by one of those employees can move forward. The judge said Briana Tyler can proceed on grounds of negligent retention, but can’t pursue claims that Walmart was culpable of either gross or willful and wanton negligence.
Look for more coverage of the one-year anniversary throughout the day on Wednesday.