A 16-year-old named Fernando Chavez Jr has been identified as one of the victims of the Chesapeake, Virginia Walmart mass shooting.

Chavez Jr was among the six who were fatally shot when gunman and Walmart employee Andre Bing opened fire at the department store on Tuesday. At least four others suffered injuries.

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People gathered at the Sam’s Circle Walmart on Thursday in a vigil to pay tribute to the deceased minor, who was identified by authorities. Posters bearing the victim’s name, along with soft toys and balloons were tied to a tree. The family cried as many of the vigil attendees, dressed in white, respectfully maintained silence.

Chesapeake police chief Mark Solesky said at a press conference on Wednesday that the gunman died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and declared the scene safe.

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Who was Fernando Chavez Jr?

Fernando Chavez Jr is known to family and friends as Fernando Jesus Chavez and has been described by his close ones as “humble and intelligent”.

“Fernando was such a nice kid, he would say hi to anybody,” said Joshua Trejo, 17, a friend of Chavez Jr since middle school. Before the victim’s untimely death, he and Fernando were looking forward to working together at a new job. 

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Fernando said that he had texted Chavez several times before learning about his death from his friend’s brother.

7-year-old Kayla Pineda, another friend of Chavez Jr, said that when she heard of his death, “it just sunk in, and I started crying. I’m just thinking back about all the memories and how he’s actually gone now. It just doesn’t make sense to me. I think I’m still in shock. I guess I just don’t want him to really have left us.”