Death toll rises to 2 in New Albany, Ohio warehouse shooting

The death toll from a warehouse mass shooting in Ohio has risen to two, after a hospitalized victim succumbed to their injuries, according to officials. Another victim remains hospitalized.

The mass shooting occurred at the KDC/One warehouse in New Albany, Ohio, on Tuesday evening. Police responded to reports of an active shooter, which initially left one person dead and five others injured by gunshot wounds.

The death toll increased to two after one of the victims, 30-year-old Shekhar Chapagai, died Wednesday evening at Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, according to the Franklin County Coroner’s Office.

The first victim was identified as 38-year-old Kyle Vaver, a resident of Pickerington, who was shot in the head during the attack at the warehouse. Among the other four injured victims, only one remains hospitalized, according to officials.

Chapagai, the latest fatal victim, was killed just weeks before his wife was expected to give birth. The couple already had a young child, according to WBNS. He was a member of the Nepalese community and had lived in Columbus since 2016.

“With unimaginable grief, I share the heartbreaking news of my husband, Shekhar Chapagai, who was fatally shot and succumbed to gunshot wounds he suffered during the recent mass shooting in New Albany warehouse in Ohio,” wrote Muna Baniya on a GoFundMe page set up for the victim. “He was not only my husband and soulmate, but he was also a father to our 5-year-old daughter and soon-to-be-born baby girl.”

“Losing him has left a void that can never be filled, and as I prepare to bring our baby into the world without him by my side, I am faced with overwhelming emotional and financial challenges,” Baniya added. “He was the rock of our family, always putting us first and working hard to build a future for our children.”

The suspect, 28-year-old Bruce Reginald Foster III, was apprehended after police executed a search warrant in Columbus, following his escape from the scene via rideshare, according to officials. He made his initial court appearance on Thursday, where his bond was set at $20 million.

New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones confirmed that the attack was a workplace shooting and that the victims were co-workers of the suspect. No motive has been determined so far.