‘We’re not ready;’ Employee speaks out after Walmart reopens doors days after mass shooting

BEAVERCREEK — An area Walmart is getting ready to reopen just days after a man walked into it and opened fire, injuring four people.

The company said they’re ready to open for Black Friday, but employees said it’s too soon to be back in the building.

A Walmart employee, who wished to stay anonymous, told News Center 7 she isn’t ready to go back.

“I will not be there (Friday). I don’t know if I’m going back,” she said.

She spoke about Walmart’s decision to reopen.

“For a lot of people, this is not what we want. We’re not ready for this. We’re being forced,” she said.

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A spokesperson for Walmart said employees have told them they are ready to come back.

“Our focus has remained on supporting our associates’ well-being. While speaking with them about when to reopen and resume serving customers, their overwhelming feedback was to do so as soon as possible,” she said.

The employee said she felt like she needed to speak up and say this was not the case.

“I 100% think they’re putting the sales that they can make this weekend over what the associates want. We don’t want this, we’re not ready,” she said.

News Center 7 reached out to Walmart again. They said they stood by their previous statement.

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“I’m not surprised when you get a big corporation like that sometimes money is more important to them,” she said.

She is not sure if she is ever going to return to her job, not because of the tragedy but because of Walmart’s response.

“I would have liked to see the store be closed at least through the weekend because I think it’s going to be too much too soon,” she said.

Walmart reached out again to News Center 7 and said they will do whatever they can to help any employees who are worried about being back at the store.

But stores will still be open at 6 a.m.

We will continue to follow this story.

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