AP produces definitive coverage of Virginia Walmart shooting despite holiday reporting challenges

By Ben Finley, Denise Lavoie, Nathan Ellgren, Alex Brandon, Carolyn Kaster, Jennifer Kelleher, Matthew Barakat, Sarah Brumfield and Shameka Dudley-Lowe

The multiformat team covering a mass shooting at a Virginia Walmart used dogged reporting in coverage that was cited in outlets including CBS and NBC broadcasts as well as the New York Times while pushing through challenges on a holiday week. When a shooter opened fire at a Virginia Walmart, killing 6 and himself, AP delivered superior coverage beginning late Tuesday when US Desk editor Shameka Dudley-Lowe began to assemble the story as MidAtlantic BNS Sarah Brumfield logged in hours after her shift and confirmed key details. Norfolk reporter Ben Finley and Washington video journalist Nathan Ellgren were on site by morning. Throughout the week, the team stayed ahead of the competition on details on victims and the shooter.