An innocent North Carolina woman was killed in a Walmart bank after shooters identified ‘targets’ waiting in line next to her and opened fire.
Brandy Nicole Olson, 42, died after being hit by gunfire while waiting in line to visit the Woodforest Bank in a Walmart Super Center in Lumberton, North Carolina, Friday afternoon. Police believe the shooters were attempting to hit two people they saw standing in the queue.
However, Brandy, who had no connection to the assailants, died from her injuries after being rushed to the hospital. Nobody else was reported injured. Police are treating the shooting as a ‘isolated incident’ and are following’several investigative leads’.
Following Brandy’s death, City Councilman John Cantey Jr. issued a statement expressing his thoughts and prayers for her family. He told 11 ABC: “A lot of citizens are calling with questions about the tragic shooting at our Walmart. I just wanted to let our citizens know that this was an isolated incident in which an innocent bystander was shot.
“I don’t want to preempt our law enforcement, who are working extremely hard and diligently to apprehend those suspects. I understand that our citizens are afraid.
They are afraid of this holiday season, which is a tragedy. And our prayers, on behalf of my precinct and the entire city, go out to the lady’s family.”
Brandy, a bartender, received tributes from her former employer, Lumberton’s Wing Company. They wrote in a Facebook post: “It is with a heavy heart that we share that a former member of our Wing Company family and a regular patron of ours has died as a result of a tragedy in our community.”
“Brandy Olson was a wonderful, kind-hearted person who could get along with anyone and make them smile. Please pray for her family, friends, and coworkers at this time.
We have a memorial seat set up for anyone who wishes to donate items in her memory. Rest in peace, Brandy. We’ll miss your happy face.”
Another friend and former colleague wrote on Facebook: “I made sure we had your picture up tonight at that bar at your spot where you belonged and always will be… I can’t believe it; you didn’t deserve this at all!
“I swear I’ll miss working the morning and night shifts with you! I’ll miss saying goodbye to white girls and blondes on my way to and from work… I’ll miss helping you take those to-go orders and bag them for you when you were so busy behind the bar!
“You always knew how to make me laugh; you were such a goofball at times, and I will never forget our conversations and laughs. We girls at Ruby’s will love and miss you very much. Rest in peace, our bartender/white girl; you will be missed and never forgotten.
After Brandy’s death, Councilman John Cantey Jr. called for an end to gun violence. He said, “That’s enough. Gun violence is escalating. We, as elected officials at the local, county, state, and federal levels, will have to find some common ground.”
