BEAVER CREEK, Ohio — Two of the four victims of the Beaver Creek Walmart shooting have been released from the hospital, a recent search warrant reveals new details about the gunman, and investigators are investigating the attack. He believes the motivation was at least partly racial.
A search warrant was executed at the home of Benjamin Jones in Dayton last Tuesday, the day after the shooting at the Beavercreek Walmart that sent four people to the hospital, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
Court documents show law enforcement seized 18 items from his home, including weapons, ammunition and documents. But some of the most notable items were two Nazi flags and a handwritten note. And it was these items that led the FBI to believe the shooting may have been inspired by racially motivated violent extremist ideology.
Law enforcement said Jones was wearing jeans, a black jacket and carrying a backpack on the night of the shooting. Police also searched the pickup truck Jones drove to Walmart. They found it running in the parking lot with its lights on and door open, with a note inside.
Jones was white, but police identified two of the victims as black and the other two as white. Police found Jones dead inside the store, suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. That means he can’t stand trial, but court documents show investigators believe he committed two counts of attempted murder and two counts of felony assault.
The FBI is still investigating, thoroughly examining Jones’ background, motives, and connections. Jones’ former classmates, co-workers, friends and family are encouraged to contact the FBI with information by calling 1-800-call-FBI or logging into ottips.FBI.gov.