VIRGINIA Beach, United States (AFP) – Police in Virginia searched Saturday for the reason why a city engineer fired indiscriminately on his workplace colleagues, turning a municipal building into a war zone as he killed at least 12 people and wounded four before being fatally shot himself.
Authorities named the gunman in Friday’s attack as DeWayne Craddock, who news reports said was 40-years-old.
To focus attention on the latest victims of America’s gun violence epidemic, officials said they would not pronounce his name again in public.
Craddock, killed in a fierce gun battle with police, was a current employee of the public works department of Virginia Beach and had worked there for about 15 years, police chief James Cervera told a news conference.
He declined to say if Craddock had been disciplined in recent weeks. Press reports said the gunman had served in the Army National Guard after graduating from high school.
Craddock was armed with two .45-caliber pistols, both of which appeared to have been legally purchased, said Ashan Benedict of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
At least one of the guns was equipped with a sound suppressor and Craddock reloaded with several high-capacity magazines, Cervera said.
Two other guns were found at Craddock’s home, where he lived alone. One had been legally purchased, while authorities were working Saturday on tracing the other.
US President Donald Trump tweeted that he had spoken by phone to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and to Virginia Beach officials to offer his condolences, adding, “God bless the families and all!” He also ordered US flags to fly at half-staff until sunset tomorrow.
Northam, speaking at a prayer vigil outside a movie theater, asked rhetorically, “Why do these tragedies happen? And I don’t have an answer for that, but God knows…And God is in control here.”
City Manager Dave Hansen began the news conference by showing photos of the 12 who were killed – seven men and five women – as he slowly read their names out. All but one worked for the government in the coastal city, which is about a four-hour drive southeast of Washington.
Police responding Friday to emergency calls from the municipal center, a campus of 30 red brick buildings, engaged the shooter within minutes, Cervera said.
People locked themselves inside offices and cowered on the floor as the gun battle raged. Bullet casings littered the floor, news reports said.
The victims were found on all three floors of the building.
