Suspect identified after 2 people killed in Walmart shooting

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Two people died in a shooting that left two others, including the suspected shooter, injured Tuesday morning at a Walmart in Northern Mississippi, according to authorities.

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The victims at the Southaven Walmart were identified by company officials as store employees. Southaven's mayor, Darren Musselwhite, described the alleged gunman as a disgruntled employee, The Associated Press reported.

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Update 6 p.m. EDT July 30: DeSoto County District Attorney John Champion has identified 39-year-old Martez Tarrell Abram of Southaven, Mississippi, as the suspect accused of killing two people at a north Mississippi Walmart.

Champion said Abram remains hospitalized after he was shot twice by a police officer.

Abram was recently fired after an incident where he showed a knife to a fellow employee.

Update 2:35 p.m. EDT July 30: Family members identified the people slain in Tuesday morning's shooting at the Southaven Walmart as Brandon Gales, 38, and Anthony Brown, 40, WHBQ-TV reported.

Gales's father told the news station he'd worked at the Walmart in the 6800 block of Southcrest Parkway for around 16 years and had been promoted to a department management position.

Family members told WHBQ-TV that Brown, a store manager from Caledonia, Mississippi, was also killed. He is survived by two sons.

Authorities have not identified the person suspected of killing the men, who was described by Southaven Mayor Darren as a disgruntled Walmart employee, according to the AP. The shooter was injured after being confronted by police, authorities said.

A police officer, who was not identified, was also injured in the shooting.

Original report: A Walmart employee told WHBQ-TV workers were inside during the shooting. Officials confirmed 60 employees were in the store when the incident took place.

Officials have not released what led to the shooting.

DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco told WHBQ-TV two people were killed. One person was found dead in the business and another was found dead in the parking lot, authorities said.

Rasco told WHBQ-TV the suspected gunman was also shot twice. The suspect's condition was not immediately known. He was taken to Regional One Health Medical Center in Memphis for treatment of his injuries.

A police officer was also injured in the shooting. The officer, who was not identified, was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital DeSoto for treatment of injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening. He was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting, which stopped the bullet, according to WHBQ-TV.

Authorities said a bomb squad was sweeping the Walmart store's parking lot Tuesday morning after the shooting after a suspicious package was found inside the store.

In a statement posted on social media, Walmart representatives said the company was "deeply saddened by the reports from our store in Southaven, Mississippi."

"We are working with local law enforcement and will continue to update as we learn more," the statement said. "Our hearts are with the victims, their families and the entire Southaven community."

Fox13Memphis.com contributed to this report.
Check back for updates to this developing story.

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