Following a shooting at a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio, on Monday, investigators are revealing the shooter’s possible motive.
Benjamin Charles Jones, 20, opened fire at a local Ohio Walmart just days before Thanksgiving, hurting four individuals — a Caucasian girl, two African American females, and a Caucasian male — before taking his own life. The FBI revealed a portion of what they believe influenced Jones to start fire on Wednesday.
“Based on evidence collected, including journal writings from the attacker, Benjamin Charles Jones, the attack may have been at least partially inspired by Racially Motivated Violent Extremist (RMVE) ideology,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stated in a news conferenceThe inquiry is still ongoing, but all four victims have survived and are in stable condition.
Walmart responded to the incident in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday: “We’re heartbroken by what’s happened at our Beavercreek, Ohio store,” a company spokeperson said. “This is still an evolving situation, and we’re collaborating closely with investigators on the scene.” “All inquiries should be directed to local law enforcement,” said the statement’s conclusion.
The FBI also learned that Jones purchased the gun he used, a Hi-Point.45 calibre carbine, just two days before the shooting. They stated that they are investigating his responses on his gun purchase papers to determine if any of them were fake.
According to Beavercreek Police Department postings on X (previously Twitter), Jones entered the retail store around 8:35 p.m. Monday night “and began firing a gun.” All four injured individuals were taken to surrounding hospitals.
Soon after the cops arrived, the building was “cleared and secured.” According to authorities, “a fifth person, the shooter, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.” They went on to say, “No shots were fired by any responding police officers.”
The shooting in Beavercreek was the second in less than 24 hours at a Walmart store in the United States.
According to the Anchorage Police Department, two persons were shot and murdered in the parking lot of a Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska, on Sunday night. Officers were dispatched shortly after 5 p.m. “to reports of a shooting,” police stated in a release. “When officers arrived, they found a deceased adult female and a deceased adult male.”
“We have no motive as of yet, no information on what he may have been thinking, or anything else,” Beavercreek Police Capt. Scott Molnar told reporters Monday night, according to NBC News. “We’re still investigating.” It’s still early in the investigation.”
