CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Author's note: The details in this story may be disturbing to readers.
The Chesapeake Police Department unveiled new details in the investigation of the Walmart mass shooting that left seven people dead -- including the gunman -- and several others hurt Tuesday night.
The disturbing details are hard to read, but we are sharing the note in it's entirety for transparency and to help the community try and understand why this happened.
On Friday morning, the department confirmed that the suspected shooter used a 9mm handgun that was legally purchased from a local store earlier on Tuesday morning.
During a search of the suspect's house, police found a box of ammunition and other items related to the handgun, including the box, receipt and other paperwork. The department confirmed that the suspect didn't have a prior criminal record.
Three days after the attack, survivors, families, friends and the community are still asking why the shooting happened. Now, we're starting to get some sense of why the gunman claims he did what he did.
The department said investigators found a manifesto on the suspect's phone that outlined a possible motive for the shooting.
The message was found during a forensic analysis of the phone, which was recovered from the scene of the shooting. It's unknown when the note was written and several names are redacted.
The message suggested that the suspect, an overnight shift lead at the Sams Circle Walmart, was repeatedly harassed by his colleagues.
"The associates gave me evil twisted grins, mocked me and celebrated my down fall the last day," the note reads. "That's why they suffer the same fate."
The note claimed that the co-workers laughed at the suspect, saying he "was like Jeffrey Dahmer."
"I can't say that they were the only ones that lacked intelligence and wisdom," the note reads. "I was just as guilty and failed my management team and everyone that ever loved me by convincing them that I was normal."
He suggested that a phone hack was his breaking point before the shooting and that he "was led by the Satan" and adding "I wish I could have saved everyone from myself."
"My true intent was never to murder anyone believe it or not, I was actually one of the most loving people in the world if you would get to know me," the note reads. "I just wanted a wife that was equally yoked as I and obsessed over the thought; however, I didn't deserve a wife."
He went on to write "My only wish would have been to start over from scratch and that my parents would have paid closer attention to my social deficits."
The note said the suspect would spare someone because of a "special place for her in my [heart] because my mother died from cancer."
"Please [redacted] let everyone know that bitter seed apricots are the cure for cancer and not the Dr.," the note read.
The note ends with the alleged gunman writing, "My God forgive me for what I'm going to do..."
