2019 Virginia Beach shooting
2019 Virginia Beach shooting | |
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Location | Virginia Beach Municipal Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. |
Coordinates | 36°45′03″N 76°03′27″W / 36.7509°N 76.0575°W |
Date | May 31, 2019 4:40 p.m. (EST (UTC−5)) |
Target | Government employees and contractor |
Attack type | Mass shooting, mass murder |
Weapons | Two .45 ACP pistols. |
Deaths | 13 (including the perpetrator) |
Injured | 5 |
Perpetrator | DeWayne Craddock |
On May 31, 2019, DeWayne Craddock opened fire and fatally shot 12 people while wounding five others at a municipal building in the Princess Anne area of Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. He was later shot dead by police officers responding to the scene.
Craddock was a 40-year-old employee of the city's public utilities department. Of the people he killed, 11 were city employees.
Building
A police spokesperson stated a shooter opened fire in Building 2 of the center, which houses the city's public works, utilities, and planning departments.[1] The building is considered an open-government facility with no additional security to enter, but security passes are needed to access employee areas and conference rooms.[2]
Attack
An active shooter situation at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center was confirmed by the city manager around 4:40 p.m. on May 31, 2019.[3] The gunman first killed a person in a car in the parking lot of the building before entering the building and killed people on all three floors.[2] Police Chief James Cervera said the gunman fired indiscriminately[4][5] and that there was no immediate indication that the gunman had targeted anyone in particular.[6]
Some members of the public and employees were initially unaware of the shooter, and many were alerted by phone calls, text messages or word of mouth to shelter in place or evacuate the location.[7] The FBI, the ATF, and the Department of Homeland Security responded to assist local and state police.[8][9] The gunman was killed by police after a prolonged gunfight between himself and responding law enforcement.[6]
Two semi-automatic pistols were found at the scene according to CNN.[10] According to a law enforcement official, investigators believe they were used in the shooting, and that the suspect purchased them legally.[10]
Victims
Twelve people were fatally shot by the perpetrator.[11] City officials said that all but one of the 12 murder victims were city employees.[12]
Sentara Healthcare reported through Twitter that five people were taken to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and a sixth patient was taken to Sentara Princess Anne Hospital after the shooting.[13]
Perpetrator
Police identified the perpetrator as DeWayne Craddock (October 15, 1978[14] – May 31, 2019), during a press conference in which they stated it would be the only time that they would mention his name publicly.[2] He was fatally shot after a gunfight with police.[15] Craddock was still employed by the city at the time of the shooting as an engineer in the city's public utilities department and had a security pass to enter the building.[12] Between 1996 and 2002 Craddock served in the Virginia Army National Guard.[16]
Aftermath
Multiple vigils were organized for the victims of the shooting by churches and other organizations.[17] Members of the Courthouse Community United Methodist Church prepared food for the law enforcement officers at the scene, after it was secured.[6]
Reactions
Virginia's governor, Ralph Northam, issued a statement on Twitter saying, "My heart breaks for the victims of this devastating shooting, their families, and all who loved them."[18]
Virginia's other U.S. senator, Mark Warner, thanked law enforcement for their response.[19] U.S. Representative Elaine Luria, who represents Virginia Beach, offered sympathies and thanked "first responders and law enforcement for risking their lives to bring a suspect into custody."
See also
References
- ^ Finley, Ben. "'Today is Virginia Beach's darkest hour:' 12 killed in shooting at municipal complex; assailant dead". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ a b c Garrisson, Joey (June 1, 2019). "What we know about the suspect in the Virginia Beach shooting that killed 12". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "Virginia Beach shooting: 12 killed, 6 injured; suspect also dead". WAVY.com. May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ Almasy, Steve; Rebekah Riess (May 31, 2019). "At least 12 dead in Virginia Beach mass shooting at municipal center". CNN. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ Staff, National Desk (June 1, 2019). "'We kept hearing gunshots': At least 11 dead, 6 injured after Virginia Beach shooting". KCCI. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ a b c Blinder, Alan; Thrush, Glenn (June 1, 2019). "Virginia Beach Shooting: 12 Victims Identified in Government Office Attack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ CNN, Nicole Chavez and Amir Vera. "Witnesses hid in offices and under their desks during the Virginia Beach shooting". CBS46 News Atlanta. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
{{cite web}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ Romero, Dennis. "At least 12 dead, including suspect, in Virginia Beach shooting". NBC News. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ National, Scripps. "12 dead in mass shooting in Virginia Beach Municipal Building". ABC 15. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ a b "12 victims, shooter killed in Virginia Beach mass shooting". WTKR.com. May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ Amanda Maile; Anthony Rivas; Andjulia Jacobo (May 31, 2019). "12 killed after gunman opens fire 'indiscriminately' at Virginia Beach office: Police". ABC News. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ a b Holcombe, Madeline (June 1, 2019). "All but one of the 12 killed in the Virginia Beach shooting were city employees, official says". CNN. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ "Virginia Beach shooting: 12 people killed in shooting at municipal center; suspect dead, police say". ABC7 Los Angeles. May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ "Who Is DeWayne Craddock? Virginia Beach Mass Shooter Identified As Disgruntled Employee". June 1, 2019.
- ^ Parker, Mike Connors, Alissa Skelton, Stacy. "13 dead, 6 injured after shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center". Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Carissimo, Justin; Siese, April; Linton, Caroline (June 1, 2019). "Gunman, 12 victims identified in Virginia Beach shooting". CBS News.
- ^ "Vigils being held after Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooting | WAVY.com". Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- ^ Mele, Christopher (May 31, 2019). "Virginia Beach Shooting: 12 Killed in Rampage at Municipal Center". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ Gregory, Sara; Mike Connors (May 31, 2019). "Reaction to the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
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