CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Chesapeake Walmart where six people were shot and killed in November 2022 reopened Wednesday morning with a special ceremony.
The store, located on Sam's Circle, underwent significant design changes during its closure, including an outdoor memorial space to honor the victims and provide a place of comfort.
The store closed on Nov. 22, the same day of the shooting. Chesapeake police said a team lead opened fire in the break room, killing six people and then himself. Several other people were hurt in the chaos.
The six victims are Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Lorenzo Gamble, Randy Blevins, Tyneka Johnson, and Fernando Chavez-Barron.
During the ceremony, the community gathered with Walmart officials to commemorate the lives lost and create a new beginning for the store.
For long-time residents like Alexis Dunbar, today marked a sign of healing.
"I didn't know any of the victims personally, but I felt their pain," Dunbar said. "I grieve with them. I get emotional every time I think about it. I'm just so glad Walmart is open. I'm so glad we overcame the tragedy."
Chaneka Bell showed up at the Walmart location hesitant.
"I'm shaking," Bell said as she peered back at the store's entrance. "It just feels so scary being here when it hit so close to home."
Bell's daughter was inside the Walmart when the shots broke out. She said her daughter heard too many gunshots to count and saw the aftermath of what the gunman had done.
"This really did something to her," said Bell. "She was like 'Mom, I never experienced anything like that before' and she really thought she was going to lose her life."
Bell said the night of the shooting, she didn't know right away if her daughter was one of the people who got hurt or killed. It's a terrifying night Bell said she'll never forget.
She said she met the gunman in the past and didn't think much about him or what he would possibly do, saying she couldn't have guessed this would have happened.
Bell stared back at the store's entrance as she said, "It was really scary. It was heartbreaking to see my daughter in tears like that. It was really crazy."
Bell ended up not going inside the Walmart store.
She said that months later, her daughter is still recovering mentally, but she said it'll take a long time for the healing to really begin. She said she and her family are currently surrounding her daughter with the support she needs.
Meanwhile, some family members of the ones who passed away showed up to the reopening ceremony. They didn't want to speak to 13News Now, but they held each other close as they watched people enter the store.
Walmart executives announced more than $10,000 in donations to a number of local nonprofits. Some of those organizations include the League of Advocates and the Chesapeake Sheriff's Charities to honor the first responders that night.