Walmart Investigated in Early 2020 Complaints About Chesapeake Shooter From Co-Workers

Walmart’s handling of Bing and what it knew about problems at the store have been raised in two lawsuits brought against the company by employees who survived the attack. Both suits allege Bing demonstrated a pattern of disturbing workplace behavior. A Walmart spokesman said the company is reviewing both complaints and will respond with the court. 

In early 2020, Walmart regional managers interviewed members of the store’s overnight shift about Bing after several complaints that he was an unkind manager and engaged in threatening behavior, according to the former and current employees familiar with the investigation. 

“We were individually interviewed,” said Amanda Land, a former employee at the Chesapeake store. Bing “was not easy to get along with,” said Ms. Land, who left the store in 2020. “He thought people were always talking crap about him,” she said. 

It couldn’t be learned what steps Walmart took after the investigation, which hasn’t previously been reported. A spokesman for Walmart declined to comment. Family members for Bing couldn’t be reached for comment.

Separately, people who had worked with Bing said in recent interviews that he could be combative and difficult to work with. They said he would cover his cellphone camera with tape because he said he worried the government was tracking him.

“Andre did a lot of weird things,” said Nathan Sinclair, who worked at the Chesapeake Walmart until recently, during an interview soon after the shooting. “Andre was an aggressive person.”

Bing bought a 9mm handgun the morning of the attack and left behind a note alleging he was harassed and ridiculed by co-workers, according to police. In it, he wrote, “I was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom.”

The lawsuits were filed in Chesapeake Circuit Court in the aftermath of the attack by two store workers who survived the shooting, claiming that they had complained to Walmart managers about harassing behavior by Bing months before the incident. 

Donya Prioleau, 27, said in a lawsuit that she was in the break room when Bing killed some of her co-workers. She said in her suit that she filed a formal written ethics complaint on Sept. 10 about inappropriate remarks by Bing, including about her age and appearance. Her mother also visited the store that same day to speak with the store manager, the suit claims. 

Her suit claims that Bing demonstrated a pattern of disturbing behavior and had been disciplined on several occasions, including for allegedly bullying and harassing other employees. “Mr. Bing was known for being a mean and cruel supervisor,” her suit claims.

Before the shooting, the lawsuit claims that Bing had told store employees, including managers, that if he were ever fired he would retaliate and repeatedly asked co-workers if they had received their active-shooter training. 

James Kelly, 24, who had worked as an overnight stocker since August, also witnessed the shooting and had complained to Walmart that Bing harassed him, according to his lawsuit. 

Bing made badgering comments to Mr. Kelly, said the lawsuit, and at one point told him, “I don’t care how big you are. I have something to take care of that.”

The lawsuits don’t say that Ms. Prioleau or Mr. Kelly told the company or managers that Mr. Bing was dangerous. Each lawsuit seeks $50 million in damages.

Walmart plans to keep the Chesapeake store closed for the foreseeable future and will continue to pay staff while it conducts an investigation into the events, said Walmart U.S. CEO

John Furner

in a note to staff on Nov. 29. “We understand this was a moment that can never be forgotten, particularly for the surviving associates,” he wrote. 

—Arian Campo-Flores contributed to this article.

Walmart’s handling of Bing and what it knew about problems at the store have been raised in two lawsuits brought against the company by employees who survived the attack. Both suits allege Bing demonstrated a pattern of disturbing workplace behavior. A Walmart spokesman said the company is reviewing both complaints and will respond with the court. 

In early 2020, Walmart regional managers interviewed members of the store’s overnight shift about Bing after several complaints that he was an unkind manager and engaged in threatening behavior, according to the former and current employees familiar with the investigation. 

“We were individually interviewed,” said Amanda Land, a former employee at the Chesapeake store. Bing “was not easy to get along with,” said Ms. Land, who left the store in 2020. “He thought people were always talking crap about him,” she said. 

It couldn’t be learned what steps Walmart took after the investigation, which hasn’t previously been reported. A spokesman for Walmart declined to comment. Family members for Bing couldn’t be reached for comment.

Separately, people who had worked with Bing said in recent interviews that he could be combative and difficult to work with. They said he would cover his cellphone camera with tape because he said he worried the government was tracking him.

“Andre did a lot of weird things,” said Nathan Sinclair, who worked at the Chesapeake Walmart until recently, during an interview soon after the shooting. “Andre was an aggressive person.”

Bing bought a 9mm handgun the morning of the attack and left behind a note alleging he was harassed and ridiculed by co-workers, according to police. In it, he wrote, “I was harassed by idiots with low intelligence and a lack of wisdom.”

The lawsuits were filed in Chesapeake Circuit Court in the aftermath of the attack by two store workers who survived the shooting, claiming that they had complained to Walmart managers about harassing behavior by Bing months before the incident. 

Donya Prioleau, 27, said in a lawsuit that she was in the break room when Bing killed some of her co-workers. She said in her suit that she filed a formal written ethics complaint on Sept. 10 about inappropriate remarks by Bing, including about her age and appearance. Her mother also visited the store that same day to speak with the store manager, the suit claims. 

Her suit claims that Bing demonstrated a pattern of disturbing behavior and had been disciplined on several occasions, including for allegedly bullying and harassing other employees. “Mr. Bing was known for being a mean and cruel supervisor,” her suit claims.

Before the shooting, the lawsuit claims that Bing had told store employees, including managers, that if he were ever fired he would retaliate and repeatedly asked co-workers if they had received their active-shooter training. 

James Kelly, 24, who had worked as an overnight stocker since August, also witnessed the shooting and had complained to Walmart that Bing harassed him, according to his lawsuit. 

Bing made badgering comments to Mr. Kelly, said the lawsuit, and at one point told him, “I don’t care how big you are. I have something to take care of that.”

The lawsuits don’t say that Ms. Prioleau or Mr. Kelly told the company or managers that Mr. Bing was dangerous. Each lawsuit seeks $50 million in damages.

Walmart plans to keep the Chesapeake store closed for the foreseeable future and will continue to pay staff while it conducts an investigation into the events, said Walmart U.S. CEO

John Furner

in a note to staff on Nov. 29. “We understand this was a moment that can never be forgotten, particularly for the surviving associates,” he wrote. 

—Arian Campo-Flores contributed to this article.