CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Friday marked two years since a supervisor at the store gunned down six of his colleagues at a Chesapeake Walmart.
He shot and killed himself moments later.
Watch: Families remember lost loved ones on 2nd anniversary of the Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting
Since then, News 3 has brought you emotional stories from family members, presented an Every Day Hero Award to an officer who responded to the shooting, and detailed multiple lawsuits filed over the shooting.
Now, we're checking in with area businesses to see how they're reflecting on the shooting.
Watch: $50M lawsuit from Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting dismissed 'with prejudice'
As Matt Hayes prepared to serve customers at his restaurant Friday, the 2022 tragedy at the Walmart less than a mile away wasn’t lost on him.
"I pop into that Walmart from time to time and definitely, this time of year is kind of a weird, somber feeling when you think back on what happened a couple years ago," said Hayes.
Watch: Chesapeake Mayor Rick West reflects on Walmart mass shooting 1 year later
Hayes and people at other businesses in the area News 3 talked with Friday said some people still refuse to go to the Walmart because of what happened. Other businesses also say the shooting is still sad and they just want peace for everyone.
Friday, the permanent memorial at the Walmart was empty except for a bouquet of flowers below a plaque on the wall.
Hayes said he hasn’t made any changes at his own business since the Walmart shooting.
“It’s kind of one of those things that I don’t think you can necessarily prepare for," Hayes said.
Ron Gorsline is head of investigations for Eagle Security Solutions, Inc. in Chesapeake. The company provides security services for businesses.
Watch: PTSD expert offers advice on Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting anniversary
He said the first step in protecting a business is understanding what type of threat the business is facing. What happened at Walmart is what’s considered an internal threat. Dealing with them isn’t easy and requires companies to have policies in place.
“It can be everything from when you hire somebody give them a test for psychological evaluation. That’s one thing. But sometimes, you can run into HIPPA issues with that," Gorsline explained.
In April 2023, Walmart held a re-opening ceremony at the store which had been closed since the shooting.
Watch: Nonprofit partners with Chesapeake to support Walmart mass shooting victims
The store has undergone a major renovation, including changes to the break room where the shooting happened.
On the day of the reopening, News 3 anchor Pari Cruz spoke to the mother of Lorenzo Gamble, one of the victims. Gamble's mother said at the time the memorial and the store’s reopening felt like "a slap in the face."
Watch: 'A slap in the face:' Mom of Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting victim weighs in on store's memorial
Hayes is hopeful in time the community can heal.
“The community definitely came together. They had a (temporary) memorial out there for a while and I hope people are beginning to move past the grief and sadness," said Hayes.
In a statement to News 3 Friday, a Walmart spokesperson said the two year anniversary is a sad day and said "We continue to support our associates, and they will have a private moment of remembrance to reflect on this tragic anniversary."
