In the latest mass shooting to hit America, 10 people have been killed after an unknown gunman opened fire at a Walmart store in the city of Chesapeake, Virginia, in the United States.
According to Virginia authorities, officers responded to a report of a shooting at the Walmart on Sam’s Circle around 10.15pm, and as soon as they arrived, they found evidence of a shooting, Chesapeake police spokesperson Leo Kosinski said in a briefing.
According to reports by the BBC, the man, believed to be the store manager, opened fire and then turned the gun on himself.
The City of Chesapeake tweeted "police confirm an active shooter incident with fatalities at the Walmart".
“We’re only a few hours into the response, so we don’t have all the answers yet. Chesapeake Police continue their investigation into the active shooter event at Walmart on Sam’s Circle. We do know there are multiple fatalities plus injuries, and the shooter is confirmed dead.”
Citing reports by USA Today, police say they believe there was one shooter, adding that authorities believe the shooting had stopped when police arrived.
According to the city of Chesapeake, a family reunification site has been set up at the Chesapeake Conference Centre.
The city says that this site is only for immediate family members or the emergency contact of those who may have been in the building.
A news conference in response to the Walmart active shooter is expected to be held at 8am (US time) on Wednesday, November 23, at the Public Safety Operations Centre.
America is facing a gun violence crisis, with nearly over 600 mass shootings reported in 2022 alone, according to Gun Violence Archive.org.