Shooter kills six at Walmart

Jane Onyanga-Omara and Steve Coogan, USA TODAY
·7 min read
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Six people were killed at a Walmart in Virginia in yet another mass shooting, the latest incident in a wave of gun violence across the nation. Also: Are you one of the estimated 50 million Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving? The worst traffic will be today – and on the big day itself.

It's Jane Onyanga-Omara and Steve Coogan, Daily Briefing authors. As we wrap up our duties for the week, we want to take a second to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Now, here's Wednesday's news.

Six people killed in Walmart shooting in Virginia, police say

Six people are dead and others are injured after a shooting at a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virginia, late Tuesday, authorities said, the latest incident in a wave of gun violence across the nation. The Chesapeake Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at the store on Sam’s Circle around 10:15 p.m. ET. Over 35 to 40 minutes, officers found multiple people dead and injured in the store, police spokesman MPO Leo Kosinski said. Police believe there was one shooter, who is dead, Kosinski said, adding that authorities believe the shooting had stopped when police arrived. Mike Kafka, a spokesman for Sentara Healthcare, said in a text message that five patients from Walmart were being treated at Norfolk General Hospital. Read more

Law enforcement work at the scene of a mass shooting at a Walmart, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, in Chesapeake, Va.
Law enforcement work at the scene of a mass shooting at a Walmart, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, in Chesapeake, Va.

Colorado shooting suspect will appear in court

Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspect in Saturday's shooting at a Colorado LGBTQ bar who stopped their rampage after being beaten by club patrons, was released from a hospital Tuesday and transferred to the El Paso County jail, police said. Aldrich is nonbinary and uses "they/them pronouns, and for the purposes of all formal filings, will be addressed as Mx. Aldrich," the defense motion states. They are scheduled to make their first court appearance Wednesday morning. Aldrich, 22, stands accused of gunning down five people and wounding 17 others at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Read more

People pay their respects at a memorial display set up to remember the five victims of the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022.
People pay their respects at a memorial display set up to remember the five victims of the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022.

More news to know now

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🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.

Biden offers another student loan payment pause extension

The White House is extending the pause on student loan payments until as late as June 30, 2023, President Joe Biden said Tuesday, as his plan for wider student loan debt forgiveness remains tied up in the courts. The pause had been scheduled to end on Dec. 31, but that date was coupled with plans for mass debt relief. In a video message posted on Twitter, Biden defended his plan for far-reaching student debt forgiveness and said the extension of the moratorium was a way to address the ongoing legal challenges. "I'm confident that our student debt relief plan is legal. But it’s on hold because Republican officials want to block it," he said. The exact end of the pause is uncertain. The Education Department said payments would start two months after litigation concludes or the mass debt relief program has been implemented. Read more

Student loan borrowers protest the GOP outside the Republican National Committee for denying student loan relief to 40 million borrowers in Washington, DC, on Nov. 18., 2022.
Student loan borrowers protest the GOP outside the Republican National Committee for denying student loan relief to 40 million borrowers in Washington, DC, on Nov. 18., 2022.

Supreme Court denies Trump request to block release of tax returns to House panel

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined a request from Donald Trump to block the release of his tax returns to a House committee, the latest legal setback the former president has endured from a court he helped to shape. Trump asked the high court on Oct. 31 to intervene in his battle with the House Ways and Means Committee over access to six years of his returns. The battle over the tax returns dates back years: Democrats in 2019 sought copies from the Treasury Department after Trump flouted tradition by declining to release them as a candidate in 2016. Read more

Former President Donald Trump greets guests at his estate Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Former President Donald Trump greets guests at his estate Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

Prepare for hectic roads this Thanksgiving

As typical with Thanksgiving, most travelers will be driving. After missing past holidays because of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts said, people are more than ready to see their friends and family. "Drivers can anticipate more traffic than normal around Thanksgiving, especially the Wednesday before the holiday, where commute traffic mixes with people trying to get out of town," Bob Pishue, transportation analyst for INRIX, told USA TODAY. The worst traffic will be on Wednesday and Thanksgiving itself, according to recent data by AAA and INRIX. On Wednesday, traffic will peak between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., as well as from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday as people prepare for dinner. To avoid heavy traffic, drivers should try to be on the road by early Wednesday, before 8 a.m., and Thursday before 11 a.m. Read more 

One thing to know: Americans should prepare to see the highest gas prices ever over a Thanksgiving weekend. On Thanksgiving Day, the national average is projected to be $3.68 per gallon – about 20 cents higher than last year's Thanksgiving, according to GasBuddy.

Heavy traffic moves along Interstate 395 on Tuesday morning November 22, 2022 in Washington, D.C.
Heavy traffic moves along Interstate 395 on Tuesday morning November 22, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

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📷 Photo of the day: Die-hard fans go all out for teams at the World Cup 📷

A Team USA fan before a group stage match during the 2022 FIFA World Cup between Wales and the United States of America at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Nov. 21, 2022.
A Team USA fan before a group stage match during the 2022 FIFA World Cup between Wales and the United States of America at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Nov. 21, 2022.

The World Cup is heating up following the staggering loss for Lionel Messi and Argentina against Saudi Arabia Tuesday in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. Messi and his highly-rated team are among the favorites to win the World Cup in Qatar but have an unwanted place on a very different list now.

Check out our gallery of fans from around the world cheering on their teams in Qatar. 

A little less heavy

An illustrated reconstruction of Leviathanochelys aenigmatica.
An illustrated reconstruction of Leviathanochelys aenigmatica.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: Shooter kills six at Walmart