The U.S. airman who opened fire inside a Grand Forks Wal-Mart early Tuesday did not use a military-issued handgun, according to a Grand Forks Police Department spokesman.
Marcell Travon Willis, 21, was wielding his own Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm semi-automatic handgun when he walked into the southside Wal-Mart shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to Grand Forks Police Lt. Derik Zimmel. Willis allegedly shot two Wal-Mart employees, killing 70-year-old Greg Weiland and injuring 47-year-old Lisa Braun. He then shot at but missed another employee before ending his own life with the handgun.
Willis shot a total of four rounds, Zimmel said Thursday.
Willis had legally purchased the firearm, Zimmel said, though he declined to say when and from whom the firearm was bought.
Originally from Springfield, Tenn., Willis was a senior airman who had been stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base since February 2013.
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Grand Forks Police have said there was "no apparent motive" behind the shooting, with investigators finding no link between Willis and either the victims or the store.
Police will likely receive toxicology results from the Grand Forks County Coroner's Office within the next couple of weeks, Zimmel said, which should show whether Willis was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the shooting.
"That's going to be a significant development," Zimmel said.
Wal-Mart reopens
Meanwhile, southside Wal-Mart employees are back at work, as the store opened its doors for the first time since the shooting Thursday morning.
The store remained closed on Tuesday while investigators cleared the store, collected evidence and otherwise processed the scene, and on Wednesday while professionals with Bio-Tec Emergency Services, a business based out of Forest Lake, Minn., which partly specializes in cleaning up crime scenes, decontaminated and sterilized the store.
Wal-Mart spokesman Brian Nick said the company has made counseling available to employees. Additional Wal-Mart personnel were also sent to Grand Forks to provide extra support in reopening the store Thursday, Nick said.
"Our management team will be working with (Braun) and the other associates" in the aftermath of the shooting, Nick said. "We're being very mindful of the challenges they're working through."
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Braun was still in the hospital Thursday and was listed in "satisfactory condition," according to Altru Health System.
Pat Friesz, Braun's mother, said Wednesday she was recovering and would be "fine."
Braun was hired at the southside Wal-Mart in September 2009 and worked as a general manager.
Weiland had been with the company for nearly 25 years as a cashier after having farmed near Thief River Falls for years.
Weiland's funeral is at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael's Catholic Church, where Weiland was an active parishioner and a greeter. The visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. today, followed by a prayer service.
