A 34-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder following a shooting in the parking lot of the Tabb Walmart.
Cindy N. Bryant, of the 2000 block of Winfree Road in Hampton, is charged with first-degree murder, abduction and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the shooting death of 37-year-old Jean Bryant, according to a York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office news release.
Jean Bryant’s residence is in the Belmont Court area of Hampton.
“This is an isolated incident between two persons who knew each other and were having a personal dispute,” the release said.
Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Deputy First Class Shawn Kekoa-Dearhart said the two women knew each other personally, but they were not sisters. Nothing else is known about their relationship at this time.
Jean Bryant was working in an optometrist office in the Walmart – which is in leased space and not a Walmart business – around 9:30 a.m. Thursday when Cindy Bryant allegedly entered the store, displayed a gun, and told her to come outside to talk.
“She produced a gun, said let’s go outside to the parking lot to discuss this further. When they got out to the parking lot, things didn’t improve, they got worse,” Sheriff J.D. “Danny” Diggs said during a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Cindy Bryant allegedly shot Jean Bryant multiple times in the abdomen.
A York County deputy had just pulled into the parking lot on routine patrol when the shooting happened and was able to quickly take Cindy Bryant into custody, the release said.
Another deputy who arrived on scene started performing CPR on Jean Bryant while waiting for medics to arrive.
Jean Bryant arrived at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News within 15 minutes of the shooting, then was taken into surgery.
At 12:30 p.m., she was pronounced dead at the hospital, the release said.
Cindy Bryant is in custody at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail.
Additional charges may be filed pending further investigation, the release said.
