At least 12 people have been killed and four injured after an employee of a public utility organisation opened fire at his coworkers at a municipal building in the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Friday.
The shooter, who was described as being “disgruntled” by officials, died in hospital after being shot by police. CNN identified the shooter as DeWayne Craddock, a 40-year-old certified professional engineer for the city of Virginia Beach in the Public Utilities Department.
There are conflicting reports about his employment status. Some local media agencies reported Craddock had been terminated from his job hours before the attack. Craddock reportedly obtained his weapons through legal purchases.
The shooting occurred around afternoon (local time) in Virginia Beach, a coastal resort city. Craddock opened fire even as people were still visiting the municipal centre to conduct business. Police officers immediately cordoned off the area. The building housed the offices of public utilities responsible for information technology, public works, planning and utilities.
Virginia Beach Police chief James Cervera said the shooter was armed with a pistol equipped with a “sound suppressor” and “extended” ammunition magazines that he repeatedly reloaded during his shooting spree. Some media outlets claimed Craddock was carrying a rifle also.
Cervera said, “The first victim was shot in a vehicle outside the public works and utilities building at the city municipal centre before the suspect entered that building and immediately and indiscriminately fired upon all the victims," Cervera said.
Police officers confronted Craddock, preventing him from inflicting more casualties. One policeman was shot, but his life was saved by a bullet-proof vest.
"This is the most devastating day in the history of Virginia Beach," Mayor Bobby Dyer said at a news conference with the police chief. "The people involved are our friends, co-workers, neighbours, colleagues.”
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ABC News reported that the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Virginia State Police are assisting the local authorities in Virginia Beach.
The incident at Virginia Beach is the deadliest mass shooting in the US since November 2018 when 12 people were killed at a restaurant in Thousand Oaks, California. The gunman who opened fire in California had killed himself.
