12 people have been killed and six injured on Friday when a disgruntled city employee, shot and killed by police, opened fire inside a Virginia Beach municipal building, Police Chief Jim A. Cervera said on Friday.
The shooter was a current longtime public utility worker, Cervera said. The names of the gunman and the victims were not released. Police did not describe a possible motive for the attack.
Virginia Beach police Chief James Cervera says a gunman shot indiscriminately at his co-workers killing 11 people in a municipal building pic.twitter.com/SgF96CmW0c
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) June 1, 2019
“This is the most devastating day in the history of Virginia Beach,” Mayor Bobby Dwyer said. “The people involved are our friends, co-workers, neighbors and colleagues.”
Five people were taken to Virginia Beach General, and one was being flown to the Level I Trauma Center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, The Virginian-Pilot reported. A Virginia Beach police officer was among those shot, but was saved by his bulletproof vest, Cervera said.
Authorities said via social media they believed there was just one shooter involved at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.
Six patients were admitted to hospitals in Virginia Beach after Friday’s shooting. https://t.co/39TymTSaca
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) May 31, 2019
The shooting occurred shortly after 4 p.m. when the suspect entered Building 2 of the center on Friday afternoon. It houses departments such as planning, public works and public utilities, and employees were seen exiting the building in tears, with some in need of medical assistance, according to reports by Fox News affiliate WAVY News 10.
He reportedly fired at multiple employees on different floors, Cervera said, and at responding police officers, before being shot and killed.
Authorities will hold another briefing at 9:30 p.m.
