Walmart employee dies after killing 2, injuring 1 in shootings at Newton County store, home
2 dead, 1 injured in Newton County shootings
Two Walmart employees are dead and one is fighting for their life after two shootings in Newton County. Police say the manhunt for the suspect gunman ended in South Carolina.
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - Deputies say a Walmart employee killed two of his coworkers and left another critically injured at two different scenes during a night of violence in Newton County.
The Newton County Sheriff's Office says Dwayne Eduh, a 24-year-old Walmart employee, fatally shot two of his coworkers and critically injured a third before fleeing the state and shooting himself during a standoff in South Carolina.
What we know:
Both Newton County deputies and Georgia State Patrol troopers were spotted at the Walmart on Salem Road and Brown Bridge Road.
Crime scene technicians were at the scene gathering evidence while deputies spoke with the store's employees.
Newton County Sgt. Jack Redlinger told FOX 5 that an employee at the Walmart left the store, retrieved a weapon, and shot two other employees at the business - killing one. The other victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Following the violence, the man reportedly went to a home off of Emerson Trail and shot and killed a woman. Investigators say she was also an employee at the Walmart.
The scene on Chesapeake Chase. (FOX 5)
Deputies caught the suspected gunman in Aiken, South Carolina - just over the Georgia-South Carolina border. The Aiken County Sheriff's Office said that they responded to a call for assistance from the Georgia State Patrol at around 3:55 a.m. on Interstate 20.
"He shot himself when patrol located him [in South Carolina]," said Sgt. Jack Redlinger of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. Eduh survived and is expected to be returned to Georgia to face charges once he is released from the hospital.
During the standoff, officials say the gunman shot himself. Medics have rushed the man to a local hospital for treatment. No law enforcement officers were injured. He was listed in critical condition as of Friday afternoon.
On Sunday, deputies confirmed he died from his injuries.
Walmart shooting in Georgia: Full press briefing
Dwayne Eduh, a Walmart employee, fatally shot two coworkers and critically injured a third before fleeing and shooting himself during a standoff in South Carolina. Among the victims was 19-year-old Akeela Clarke, who was killed in her home; her mother witnessed the murder and described the traumatic event. Eduh's motive for the shooting spree remains unknown, and he is expected to face charges in Georgia once released from the hospital.
The victims killed were identified as 21-year-old Khalaf Barksdale, 29-year-old Ryan Bradley and 19-year-old Akeela Clarke,
Police have said that they were "all acquaintances."
The grandmother of 19-year-old Akeela Clark says that the gunman kicked in the front door and killed Clark in front of her mother while her younger sister hid in the closet. The gunman then left the home without harming anyone else, the family said.
Akeela Clark's family identified her as one of the victims in the deadly shooting. (Courtesy of the family)
"He came to the door in, and then she said ‘Stop' … I proceeded to run and, as I - you know - he just started firing seven to eight shots," Samantha Clarke said. "She fell on the ground and he ran off, and at that point I knew my daughter was gone."
The motive remains unknown.
Samantha Clarke said her family had moved from New York in search of a better life. Clarke said her daughter worked at the Walmart while going to nursing school online and had big dreams to help people.
What they're saying:
"We’re heartbroken by what’s happened. There’s no place for violence in our stores," a spokesperson for Walmart told FOX 5. "We’re focused on taking care of our associates and supporting law enforcement with their investigation."
Walmart employee shoots 3 coworkers, 2 dead
A devastated mother in newton county wants answers from police after her daughter was shot and killed right in front of her. Nineteen-year-old Akeela Clarke is one of three people shot by a Walmart co-worker Friday morning. Clarke and another co-worker died. The third co-worker is in critical condition.
Among the victims was 19-year-old Akeela Clarke, who was gunned down inside her own home, according to her mother, Samantha Clarke. "I’m in shock right now," Clarke said. "My mind is all over the place because I literally witnessed my child be murdered in front of me, in front of my eyes, and no parent deserve this."
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Clarke said the ordeal began shortly after 1 a.m. when her daughter ran into her room and urged her to call police.
"She said, call the police," Clarke recalled. "He kicked the door in, and then she said, ‘Stop.’ She said, ‘Mommy.’ And she said, ‘Stop,’ and I proceed to run. And he just started firing about seven to eight shots. She fell on the ground, and he ran. At that point, I know my daughter was gone."
"Your home supposed to be a safe place," she said. "It’s not like she was at work, or she was outside in the streets. We moved from New York for a better life, and I came to Georgia, I came in this house myself and my two kids, and now I'm left with just one child."
What you can do:
If you have any information that could help with the investigation, call the Newton County Sheriff's Office.
Young woman killed after Walmart shooting spree
The family of the 19-year-old girl who was killed after a deadly shooting at Walmart is preparing for a balloon release. This is just the first of 19 releases -- one for every year that Akeela Clarke lived.
The family has also organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral costs.
The Source: Information for this story came from deputies at the scene at the Newton County Walmart. This story has been updated to provide new details.