A Walmart employee shot and killed a co-worker inside a Georgia store and critically wounded another worker outside early Friday while the business was closed to the public, authorities said.
Newton County deputies responded to the shooting at the Walmart in Covington, Georgia, at around 1:30 a.m., according to the department. The sheriff’s office later determined that an employee had left the building to get a gun, then came back inside and fatally shot a co-worker.
The gunman then left the store and “encountered a second acquaintance” outside, whom he also shot. That victim was transported to a hospital, and was said to be in critical condition as of Friday morning.
After leaving the store property, the gunman then forced his way into a home nearby, where he fatally shot a female acquaintance, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The suspect specifically targeted individuals they knew,” the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies with the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina were later contacted by the Georgia State Patrol for assistance in locating the gunman. A suspect was apprehended after a brief standoff only hours after the initial shooting.
The suspect also suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said. He was treated on the scene and transferred to a hospital.
The incident is currently under investigation by officials in both Georgia and South Carolina.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
