NORFOLK, Va. - Mourning and grieving—it's all anyone can do following the nation's latest mass shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake.
That's especially true for the victims' families.
Several hours after the Tuesday night shooting, three of the seven people hurt were still at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk.
News 3 spoke with Kimberly Shupe who is the mother of Jalon Jones, one of the survivors in the shooting. Standing outside the hospital after visiting her son, Shupe gave a chilling account of what Jones
experienced Tuesday night when a man opened fire in the Walmart off of Sam's Circle in Chesapeake, killing 6 people and wounding several others before turning the gun on himself.
Shupe said her son ran for his life from the back of the store to the front to get away.
"He saw people on the ground," Shupe said. "He said he had to kind of jump over them to save himself and get to the front of the store."
Shupe said Jalon, an associate at Walmart, had just clocked in for his Tuesday night shift when the gunman opened fire minutes later.
Just before the horrific shooting, Shupe said Jalon said the employees were in the breakroom when their manager's mood suddenly changed and pulled out a gun.
"When that was happening, his words were, 'I got shot. I actually got shot,'" Shupe said. "He was just saying he thought he was going to die."
Jalon and several others were rushed to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Jalon remained in critical condition Wednesday night.
Nurses and doctors all stepped up to help overnight.
"People came out of the woodwork to be able to be here," said Dr. Jessica Burgess, an acute care surgeon at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. "I don't think our team could have done a better job. I'm proud but again, it's a lot to process. These are people in our community whose lives got cut short the day before Thanksgiving. That’s heartbreaking.”
Sentara's chief medical officer Dr. Michael Hooper said two victims died at the hospital, including Kellie Pyle, 52, of Chesapeake. Pyle's fiancé told News 3 she transferred to the store in June from Kentucky and was working the overnight shift when she was shot.
Jalon's mom is grateful her son survived.
"The people you love in your life, make sure you always let them know you love them," Shupe said. "You just never know when they walk out the door if you're ever going to see them again."
MORE: Chesapeake Strong: How you can help victims' families of the Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting
