Akeela Clarke,Khalaf Barksdale Obituary, Death; – New information has emerged following a shooting incident at a Walmart in Georgia that resulted in two fatalities and one injury.
At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Friday, deputies from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunfire at the Walmart on Salem Road in Covington, Georgia, situated about 35 miles southeast of Atlanta. At the time, the store was closed to the public, with only employees inside.
Preliminary investigations indicate that 24-year-old Dwayne Eduh, one of the employees, engaged in a dispute with two co-workers. Eduh then left the premises, retrieved a firearm, returned, and shot one of the co-workers, 21-year-old Khalaf Barksdale, who succumbed to his injuries. Authorities reported that Eduh subsequently shot the other co-worker outside the Walmart, resulting in injuries to that individual.
After the Walmart shooting, the suspect broke into a nearby residence on Emerson Trail, where he fatally shot 19-year-old Akeela Clarke. Officials confirmed that all victims were employees of Walmart. The sheriff’s office clarified, “This was not an active shooter situation. The suspect specifically targeted individuals they knew.”
Newton County Sgt. Jack Redlinger stated in a briefing that Eduh later engaged in a standoff with law enforcement on Interstate 20 in Aiken, South Carolina, during which he shot himself.
Eduh is currently hospitalized in Augusta and is reported to be in critical condition, according to Redlinger. No law enforcement personnel were injured during the standoff, as per official reports. The investigation is ongoing, and no motive for the shootings has been disclosed at this time. Further details have yet to be released.
