Updated
A disgruntled US city employee “indiscriminately” opened fire at the municipal centre in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Friday afternoon, killing 11 people and wounding at least six others before he was killed himself, the city’s police chief has said.
Key points:
- The shooting took place at a government complex near Virginia Beach City Hall
- It is unclear whether the shooter was killed by shots from police
- Police said the shooter was a long-term employee of the city but did not identify the man
Virginia Beach Chief of Police James Cervera said the precise circumstances of the “devastating” shooting in the coastal resort city remained under investigation.
He gave few details of what was known but said a police officer was among those who were struck by gunfire but survived.
Mr Cervera said the suspect was a longtime current municipal employee, and described him as “disgruntled.”
The shooting unfolded, according to Mr Cervera, shortly after 4:00pm at building two of the municipal centre complex, a facility which houses the city’s public works and utilities next door to city hall.
“He immediately began to indiscriminately fire upon all the victims,” he said.
“Officers entered once the call went out, The officers were at headquarters.
“They responded to building two, they secured as much of the victims as they could and then they engaged with the suspect.
“The suspect did shoot a police officer.
“Officers returned fire, suspect is deceased.”
It was not made immediately clear whether the gunman took his own life or was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police.
“Right now we have more questions really than we have answers,” Mr Cervera said.
Virginia Beach, which sits on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, is the state’s most populous city with roughly 450,000 year-round residents.
“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.”
Wires
Topics:
First posted
from Trend Gossip Now http://bit.ly/2KnIXXk
0 Comments