Death Toll at 12, Plus Shooting Suspect, in Virginia Beach Mass Shooting

Death Toll at 12, Plus Shooting Suspect, in Virginia Beach Mass Shooting
Emergency vehicles are seen near the intersection of Princess Anne Road and Nimmo Parkway following a shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center in Virginia Beach, Va., on on May 31, 2019. (Kaitlin McKeown/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

At least 12 people were killed after a gunman opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia, police chief James Cervera told reporters on Friday, May 31.

The shooter is also dead, Cervera said.

Cervera said that a shooter opened fire and shot “indiscriminately” at workers inside an operations building in the Virginia Beach Municipal Building Friday afternoon.

Cervera said police returned fire, killing the suspect. He said the suspect was a longtime employee of the city’s Public Works Department. One of the people shot is a police officer.

Six people were hospitalized after a shooting at a municipal center in Virginia Beach, Virginia, hospital officials tweeted May 31.

Sentara Healthcare said on its Twitter account 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 just after 4 p.m. Friday. The company said the sixth patient was being transferred to the Level 1 Trauma Center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Virginia Beach Police said earlier they had taken a shooter into custody.

Police also said there were multiple injuries but didn’t describe the severity of those injuries.

Christina Pullen, a spokeswoman for the FBI in Norfolk, said the bureau is responding to assist Virginia Beach police.

A police spokesman told The Virginian-Pilot that the shooter opened fire in Building 2 of the municipal center, which is adjacent to City Hall. The building houses the city’s public works, public utilities, and planning departments, according to City Councilwoman Barbara Henley, who arrived at City Hall building about 4 p.m. Friday when she saw a crowd of people standing outside.

“Somebody told me there had been a shooting and they were told to leave. Afterward, I heard a loud male voice say, ‘Get down!’ so I did,” Henley told The Associated Press.

“When the person said to get down, then everybody dispersed pretty quickly,” she said.

“I’m just sick,” she said. “All these people that I work with all the time. They are such really fine people, and I just hope they’re all safe.”

The CNN Wire contributed to this report.

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