The suspect in a deadly shooting rampage that started at a Covington Walmart last week has died, Newton County officials said.
Dwayne Eduh, 24, of Covington, died Sunday, just days after authorities said he opened fire at the Salem Road store, about 35 miles southeast of Atlanta. His co-worker, Khalaf Barksdale, 21, was killed and another was seriously injured before Eduh left and forced his way into a nearby home, where he killed another Walmart employee, Akeela Clarke, 19, authorities said.
Eduh then sped away toward South Carolina, where he was taken into custody after shooting himself, officials said.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive, and said Monday they are still investigating.
The deadly saga started around 1:30 a.m. Friday, when officials said Eduh took a gun into the store where his co-workers were just a few hours into their overnight shifts. At the time, Walmart was closed to the public.
After shooting two co-workers, authorities said he made his way to Clarke’s home about 2 miles away.
Credit: Caroline Silva
Credit: Caroline Silva
Samantha Clarke, Akeela’s mother, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week that what happened next unfolded quickly. She said the suspect kicked in the front door, and her daughter ran and locked herself in an upstairs bedroom. Samantha Clarke said the suspect then shot at the bedroom door, striking her daughter, before kicking down that door as well.
“He just kept on shooting her and shooting her and shooting her and shooting her and shooting her,” she said. “He just emptied the whole magazine on her and then he left. I was right there. Everything happened in front of me.”
After that, Eduh took off more than 150 miles east on I-20 into South Carolina, according to authorities, who called him to try to negotiate his surrender. When law enforcement in the neighboring state caught up to him, he shot himself, officials said.
He was in critical condition when he was rushed to an Augusta hospital.
Akeela Clarke’s family has organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help with her funeral costs.
The Walmart store remained closed throughout Friday. It has since reopened to customers.
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