By Megan Sayles,
AFRO Business Writer,
Report for America Corps Member,
msayles@afro.com
It’s been a little over a week since 31-year-old Walmart employee Andre Bing entered his Chesapeake, Virginia store with a 9mm handgun and killed 6 of his coworkers, before succumbing to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Since the tragedy, overnight stocker Donya Prioleau, a survivor of the mass shooting, sued Walmart, Inc. for $50 million.
The AFRO reached out to Prioleau’s lawyer, Peter Anderson of Morgan & Morgan, but he declined requests for comment. Anderson, however, did supply the case’s complaint.
In it, Prioleau detailed her experience during the Nov. 22 shooting and alleged that several Chesapeake Walmart managers and employees witnessed Bing display bizarre and threatening behavior well before the incident.
The complaint recounted Prioleau’s close call with the gunman, saying: “Bullets whizzed by Plaintiff Donya Prioleau’s face and left side, barely missing her. She witnessed several of her coworkers being brutally murdered on either side of her.”
Subsequently, she fled the break room to find safety, falling and injuring her knee and elbow in the process.
Priloeau had been working at the Chesapeake Walmart since May 2021. In the complaint, she alleged that Bing was previously demoted by management after inappropriate and alarming interactions with his fellow employees.
She claimed that she filed a formal complaint with Walmart on Sept. 10 stating that Bing mocked her age, asking: “Isn’t your lady clock ticking? Shouldn’t you be having kids?”
Prioleau also told Walmart that Bing harassed her for being poor and short and called her explicitly names under his breath, according to the complaint.
The same day that Prioleau lodged her complaint against Bing with Walmart, her mother, Brenda Allen, came to the store because she was scared for her daughter’s safety.
Allen spoke with store manager, Alysia Mixon, but she informed her that she could not take action against Bing because he was liked by management, according to the complaint.
Allegedly, Bing also asked Prioleau if she liked guns and repeatedly asked coworkers if they received active shooter training prior to the shooting.
The complaint also asserted that Bing told Walmart employees and managers that people would remember his name if he was ever fired.
Prioleau sued Walmart, Inc. for negligent hiring and retention and respondeat superior liability, a legal principle that permits employers to be liable for the misdeeds of their employees.
Since the shooting, she’s experienced insomnia, severe anxiety, stomach pain, loss of appetite, nightmares and flashbacks, according to the complaint.
In a statement responding to Prioleau’s lawsuit, Walmart said: “The entire Walmart family is heartbroken by the loss of the valued members of our team. Our deepest sympathies go out to our associates and everyone impacted, including those who were injured. We are focused on supporting all our associates with significant resources, including counseling. We are reviewing the complaint and will be responding as appropriate with the court.”
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