(Trends Wide) — An employee at the Virginia Walmart where six of her co-workers were killed said she filed a written complaint with the company about the alleged shooter’s “bizarre” behavior months before the shooting, according to a filing in Chesapeake circuit court in this Tuesday.
The filing alleges that Walmart management knew of alleged shooter Andre Bing’s behavior and threats before the mass shooting, “but continued to employ him anyway.”
Plaintiff Donya Prioleau, a stocker and night coach who worked with Bing, sued the parent company for negligent hiring and retention and for superior liability response. She is seeking $50 million in compensatory damages.
“Prior to the shooting, Mr. Bing repeatedly asked his co-workers if they had received their active shooter training,” the complaint states. “When co-workers said yes, Mr. Bing just smiled and walked away without saying anything.”
The complaint says Bing was disciplined “multiple” times throughout his employment at Walmart.
Randy Blevins, 70; Lawrence Gamble, 43; Tyneka Johnson, 22; Brian Pendleton, 38, and Kellie Pyle, 52, and Fernando Chavez-Barron, 16, were killed during the shooting last Wednesday.
The attacker died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Prioleau’s attorneys, John Morgan and Peter Anderson, said Walmart failed to stop the tragedy.
“Our client alleges that Walmart acknowledged his written complaint alleging harassment, but continued to employ the perpetrator,” he said. “As workplace shootings and violence become terrifyingly common, employers have a responsibility to understand the warning signs and take threats seriously to protect their employees and customers.”
Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said “the Walmart family is heartbroken.”
“Our deepest condolences go out to our associates and all those affected, including those who were injured. We are focused on supporting all of our associates with significant resources, including professional help,” he said. “We are reviewing the complaint and will respond as appropriate with the court.”
Lawsuit alleges Walmart failed to keep employees safe
In early September, Prioleau “filed a formal complaint on a Walmart Global Ethics Statement Form,” saying Bing had commented “bizarrely and inappropriately” about her age, height, and “harassed her for being poor,” according to demand.
Bing once asked Prioleau “if he liked guns” and told others who worked at Walmart that he once ran over a turtle with a lawnmower on purpose, the court document alleges.
Walmart “had received numerous reports that Mr. Bing was intimidating, threatening, and harassing other employees,” the complaint says, and the company knew or should have known that he was “acting in inappropriate, bizarre, and dangerous ways.”
“Despite the longstanding pattern of Mr. Bing’s disruptive and threatening behavior, Walmart failed to enact any preventative measures to keep Walmart customers and employees safe,” the complaint states.
On the night of the shooting, several bullets pierced Prioleau’s face “narrowly missing” and he saw “several of his co-workers being brutally murdered,” according to the lawsuit, which adds that Prioleau fell while trying to escape, injuring his knee. and the elbow.
Trends Wide’s Steve Almasy and Raja Razek contributed to this report.
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(Trends Wide) — An employee at the Virginia Walmart where six of her co-workers were killed said she filed a written complaint with the company about the alleged shooter’s “bizarre” behavior months before the shooting, according to a filing in Chesapeake circuit court in this Tuesday.
The filing alleges that Walmart management knew of alleged shooter Andre Bing’s behavior and threats before the mass shooting, “but continued to employ him anyway.”
Plaintiff Donya Prioleau, a stocker and night coach who worked with Bing, sued the parent company for negligent hiring and retention and for superior liability response. She is seeking $50 million in compensatory damages.
“Prior to the shooting, Mr. Bing repeatedly asked his co-workers if they had received their active shooter training,” the complaint states. “When co-workers said yes, Mr. Bing just smiled and walked away without saying anything.”
The complaint says Bing was disciplined “multiple” times throughout his employment at Walmart.
Randy Blevins, 70; Lawrence Gamble, 43; Tyneka Johnson, 22; Brian Pendleton, 38, and Kellie Pyle, 52, and Fernando Chavez-Barron, 16, were killed during the shooting last Wednesday.
The attacker died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Prioleau’s attorneys, John Morgan and Peter Anderson, said Walmart failed to stop the tragedy.
“Our client alleges that Walmart acknowledged his written complaint alleging harassment, but continued to employ the perpetrator,” he said. “As workplace shootings and violence become terrifyingly common, employers have a responsibility to understand the warning signs and take threats seriously to protect their employees and customers.”
Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said “the Walmart family is heartbroken.”
“Our deepest condolences go out to our associates and all those affected, including those who were injured. We are focused on supporting all of our associates with significant resources, including professional help,” he said. “We are reviewing the complaint and will respond as appropriate with the court.”
Lawsuit alleges Walmart failed to keep employees safe
In early September, Prioleau “filed a formal complaint on a Walmart Global Ethics Statement Form,” saying Bing had commented “bizarrely and inappropriately” about her age, height, and “harassed her for being poor,” according to demand.
Bing once asked Prioleau “if he liked guns” and told others who worked at Walmart that he once ran over a turtle with a lawnmower on purpose, the court document alleges.
Walmart “had received numerous reports that Mr. Bing was intimidating, threatening, and harassing other employees,” the complaint says, and the company knew or should have known that he was “acting in inappropriate, bizarre, and dangerous ways.”
“Despite the longstanding pattern of Mr. Bing’s disruptive and threatening behavior, Walmart failed to enact any preventative measures to keep Walmart customers and employees safe,” the complaint states.
On the night of the shooting, several bullets pierced Prioleau’s face “narrowly missing” and he saw “several of his co-workers being brutally murdered,” according to the lawsuit, which adds that Prioleau fell while trying to escape, injuring his knee. and the elbow.
Trends Wide’s Steve Almasy and Raja Razek contributed to this report.
