In a tragic incident early Friday morning, a Walmart employee in Georgia fatally shot two acquaintances and critically injured another, authorities report. The shooting took place inside a Walmart Supercenter in Covington at approximately 1:30 a.m. while the store remained closed to the public. The Newton County Sheriff's Office stated that the suspect left the store briefly to retrieve a firearm before returning and opening fire.

The initial shooting within the store resulted in the death of one co-worker. Following this, the gunman encountered a second acquaintance outside, injuring them critically. The violence escalated as the suspect drove to a nearby residence and fatally shot a female acquaintance. Authorities have indicated that the victims were known to the shooter, marking this as a targeted attack rather than an active shooter situation.

After the shootings, the suspect fled towards South Carolina, evading capture briefly. However, law enforcement utilizing Flock Safety surveillance cameras tracked the vehicle, leading to his apprehension in Aiken, South Carolina. As reported by Newsweek, the suspect was taken into custody but not before a standoff with responding officers.

In a statement, Walmart expressed condolences: "We’re heartbroken by what’s happened. There’s no place for violence in our stores," mentioned Joe Pennington, the director of Walmart's global press office. The investigation into the motive behind these attacks is ongoing as authorities continue to gather information.

This incident is particularly concerning, given the unique context of workplace violence, emphasizing the need for enhanced safety measures. For more details regarding the case, please see the coverage by CBS News, Los Angeles Times, and ABC News.