A disgruntled veteran public utilities employee stormed a government building in the US State of Virginia and fired indiscriminately on multiple floors at his co-workers, killing at least 12 people and wounding six others, police said Saturday, in the latest incident of mass shooting in the country.
The gunman was killed when police responded to the shootingin the southeastern coastal city of Virginia Beach.
The suspect, a long-term and current Virginia Beach cityemployee, fired “indiscriminately” on multiple floors in a publicutilities building, police said.
Police Chief James Cervera told reporters there was anexchange of gunfire with officers and a police officer whose ballistic veststopped a bullet was injured.
The shooting suspect was identified as DeWayne Craddock,according to a law enforcement official and a Virginia government source, CNNreported.
Craddock, 40, worked as a certified professional engineerfor the city of Virginia Beach in the Public Utilities Department. He is listedon department news releases as a point of contact for information on local roadprojects over the past several years.
“This is the most devastating day in the history ofVirginia Beach. The people involved are our friends, coworkers, neighbour,colleagues,” Mayor Bobby Dyer said.
Police found victims on every floor of the building, the police chief said, adding the identities of the victims were not immediately released nor was the motive of the attack. According to local Virginian Pilot newspaper, the shooter came armed with a .45-caliber handgun with a sound suppressor on it and shot one victim in a vehicle outside before entering the building. The rest were shot inside. PTI