DINWIDDIE, VA (WWBT) - The suspect in the Wal-mart shooting has been identified as 33-year-old Melvin D. Taylor, Jr. of Petersburg.
According to police, Taylor, a Wal-Mart employee returned from lunch with and shot his supervisor before turning the gun on himself. This all happened at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center on Cox Road in Dinwiddie County. That supervisor is in the hospital -- the gunman is dead.
The sheriff's office is trying to figure out what led to the shootings. Right now, no motive is known. We do know employees and some of their family members are on edge, upset and saddened by the shootings.
Latisha Morgan's father works at the facility. She rushed over when heard about the shootings.
"I was very concerned. I tried to call him, but they can't take their phones inside because of the service," Morgan said.
It all started around noon. Investigators say Taylor, a 9 year employee, shot his female supervisor in the leg, and then walked out of the facility.
"A male came out of the front door, and shot twice at two of my deputies. He then turned the gun on himself," said Sheriff Duck Adams.
The gunman fatally shot himself in the chest. The victim and gunman worked in the shipping area located in the rear of the facility.
The gunman had just returned from lunch before firing those shots. Investigators describe the victim is an 18 year employee -- 40 years of age.
Allan Hardy has been employed at the distribution center for a month.
"Most of the time things like that don't happen here. I was like, no way. This can be happening," he said.
Right now it's unclear what led to the shooting.
"It's a tragedy anywhere but for Dinwiddie County, a rural area like this, it's unusual," Adams stated.
Morgan's father wasn't involved and is fine. She said, "I'm happy – relieved."
About 250 employees were inside the facility when the incident occurred. The name of the victim have not been released. Investigators say there's no indication the two had any relationship outside of the workplace.
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