WASHINGTON: A municipal employee sprayed gunfire “indiscriminately” in a government building complex on Friday in the US state of Virginia, police said, killing 12 people and wounding four in the latest mass shooting to rock the country.
The shooter was also killed after an extended gunbattle with responding officers, in a scene that “best could be described as a war zone,” Virginia Beach police chief James Cervera told a news conference.
The shooting happened just after 4:00 p.m. (2000 GMT), when the gunman entered one of the buildings at the Virginia Beach municipal complex and “immediately began to indiscriminately fire on all of the victims,” Cervera said.
One victim was killed outside in his vehicle, while the others were found on all three floors of the building. Police upgraded the casualty toll to 12 dead and four wounded Friday night, after earlier reporting 11 dead and six wounded.
The shooter was armed with a .45-caliber handgun fitted with a sound suppressor, and he reloaded multiple times with extended magazines, Cervera said.
“Due to the sound of gunfire, (the four responding officers) were able to locate the floor in which the suspect was committing his crimes. They immediately engaged with the suspect, and I can tell you that it was a long gunbattle,” Cervera said.
“During this gunbattle, basically the officers stopped this individual from committing more carnage in that building.”
Authorities did not release the shooter’s name or speculate on his motives, aside from saying that he was a longtime employee of the public utilities department.
The wounded included a police officer, who was saved by his bulletproof vest. All were undergoing surgery Friday night.
At least 12 dead after shooting in Virginia
At least 12 dead after shooting in Virginia
- A municipal employee sprayed gunfire in a government building complex
- The shooter was killed after an extended gunbattle with responding officers
