FILE – In this June 2, 2019, file photo, a volunteer prepares to place crosses for victims of a mass shooting at a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Va., at a nearby makeshift memorial. DeWayne Craddock, a city engineer who fatally shot 12 people in a Virginia Beach municipal building in 2019 “was motivated by perceived workplace grievances” that “he fixated on for years,” according to findings released by the FBI on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
The FBI released its final report on a 2019 mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, which left 12 dead and several wounded. It was said the incident, which involved 40-year-old Dewayne Craddock walking into his workplace and opening fire on coworkers, was motivated by perceived “workplace grievances” that the shooter had felt for years.
The report alleged that Craddock isolated himself from co-workers and for that reason, no one could have seen the attack coming.
“We heard shooting, but we didn’t think it was that close, like in proximity to the building, so I just thank God they were able to alert us in time,” recounted eyewitness Shelia Cook. “Because if it had been 10 minutes more, we all would have been outside.”
FBI Provides Final Briefing on the Virginia Beach Municipal Center Shooting to the Virginia Beach Police Department: The FBI has concluded its investigative assistance to the Virginia Beach Police Department regarding the mass shooting at the Virginia B… https://t.co/4W0tPQVILV
— FBI Norfolk (@FBINorfolk) June 9, 2021
“Basically it was like, this is not a drill, get down, call 9-1-1 and that’s when I called 9-1-1,” recounted eyewitness Megan Banton. “And we all just ran in our office and closed the door.”
The report added that the shooter seemed to feel “criticized and slighted,” and that violence was his way of seeking retribution. In an interview with the Associated Press, Jason Nixon, who’s wife was killed in the shooting, said Craddock didn’t receive a promotion. This is something that allegedly made him very upset.
The Virginia Beach Police Department said that Craddock started to have trouble with work performance in 2017, though they concluded they couldn’t fully determine a motive. The shooter was killed by police during the incident.
After an in-depth analysis, the FBI said only the shooter knows the real reason for the incident and that while they are confident in their assessment, they hope it will prevent future tragedies.
Source: One America News Network
