At least twelve people have been confirmed dead, an a further six injured, following a shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Centre, in the US state of Virginia.
Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera confirmed the figures in a press conference, saying that the death toll includes the suspect, was described was a “longtime” government employee.
“There’s no way to describe an incident such as this,” said Cervera, who added that an officer was shot during the police operation, but was “basically saved by his bulletproof vest.”
According to local Virginia Beach news station WAVY, officers were alerted to a active shooter situation in the public works department of the Municipal Centre on Friday afternoon.
Employees coming out of the area of building 2 in droves. Many crying and holding each other @WAVY_News #757Alert pic.twitter.com/Z9bblHvBxc
— Brett Hall (@BrettHNews) May 31, 2019
A public utilities employee who spoke with local news reporters described the scene, saying that a supervisor ran into her area and shouted “this is not a drill” as the shooting occurred.
Woman tells @AndyFoxWAVY she is a public utilities employee @CityofVaBeach and supervisor ran in and shouted “this is not a drill.” @WAVY_News pic.twitter.com/2IlAKWXsRk
— Brett Hall (@BrettHNews) May 31, 2019
Speaking at a press conference, mayor Bobby Dyer said that Friday was “the most devastating day” in the history of the city.
Councilman Aaron Rouse told reporters: “This day will not define Virginia Beach …We will come together. We show the strength of our city.”
None of the victims or the shooter have been publicly identified as yet.