Shooting in a Virginia municipal building killed 12 people and injured 4 others. The incident left the whole city mourning. A gunman killed 12 people and injured at least four others in a Virginia municipal building, in the latest deadly mass shooting to roil the United States. Authorities said an employee opened fire and shot “indiscriminately” Friday afternoon in a Virginia Beach municipal building that houses several city departments. Four police officers responded to the scene and “engaged” in a “longterm gun battle” with the suspect, who was armed with a 45 calibre handgun with extended magazines and a sound suppressor.
The suspect was a long-term work of the open utility division, as indicated by experts. He passed on at the scene. Police have recognized the suspect however have not yet discharged his name to the open since they have not yet told his family. James Cerveram, the chief of the Virginia Beach police, told reporters: “This is a devastating incident which is going to change the lives of a number of families from our city.”
Victims were found on all three floors of the building, as well as one victim who was shot and killed in a vehicle before the victim entered the building. Six victims were transported to hospitals, including one officer who was saved by his bulletproof vest, Cervera said. One victim died en route to the hospital, and four were still in surgery on Friday evening. There may be additional casualties who “self-transported” to the hospital, police said. As many as 400 people work in the municipal building on any given day. Cervera emphasized that the crime scene is “most horrific” and “can best be described as a war zone”.
Survivors recounted scenes of chaos and fear that exploded as gunshots rang out and workers scurried frantically for cover. The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the Virginia state police are assisting with the investigation. The shooting sent shockwaves through Virginia Beach, the state’s largest city and a popular vacation spot in south-eastern Virginia situated on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
>Alma Siddiqua
USA: Virginia Beach Shooting Left 12 Dead
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