Walmart employee in Georgia shoots and kills two co-workers, injures a third in targeted attack.

An early morning shooting at a Walmart in Covington, Georgia, left two employees dead and another critically injured, according to authorities. The incident, described by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office as targeted, occurred around 1:30 AM on Friday and involved a male employee who has since been apprehended in South Carolina.

The Walmart Supercenter, located just southeast of Atlanta, was closed to the public at the time of the shooting. Witnesses reported that the suspect left the building to obtain a firearm before re-entering and fatally shooting a male co-worker inside the store. The suspect then shot another male employee outside of the store; this second victim was later transported to a local hospital and remains in critical condition.

Following the initial shootings, the suspect traveled approximately two miles to a nearby residence on Emerson Trail, where he fatally shot a third victim, identified by local media as 19-year-old Akeela Clarke, another female employee at Walmart.

After the violent spree, the suspect fled the scene, prompting a manhunt that culminated in Aiken, South Carolina, approximately 135 miles east of Covington. He was arrested around 4 AM by a coordinated effort involving Aiken County sheriff’s deputies and South Carolina highway patrol officers. Reports indicate that there was a brief standoff with law enforcement before the suspect was taken into custody. During this standoff, he suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, although his current condition has not been publicly confirmed.

This tragic incident adds to a growing concern over workplace violence and gun-related tragedies in the United States. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and have not disclosed a motive at this time.

Local businesses and the community are in shock as they come to terms with the devastating loss incurred in what was intended to be a routine workday. The Newton County Sheriff’s Office has expressed condolences to the victims’ families and is urging anyone with further information about the incident to come forward.

As investigations proceed, the focus remains on understanding the factors that led to this senseless act of violence. The Newton County community, like many others faced with similar tragedies, is left to grapple with the aftermath and search for answers.