According to authorities, at least 12 people were killed and four injured in a mass shooting at a municipal building in Virginia Beach on Friday.
Police chief James Cervera said the shooter entered the center's Building 2 shortly after 4 p.m. at a press conference on Friday. And "indiscriminately" opened fire on workers, going from floor to floor.
He said the shooter was a long-time "disgruntled" employee of the city's Department of Public Works.
According to Cervera, at least four police officers involved the suspect in a "long-term gun battle," killing the suspect.
He said the suspect was armed with a.45-caliber handgun with a suppressor and magazines that were extended.
Victims were found on three floors and, according to Cervera, one victim was shot in a car outside the building.
Police said they believed earlier that the suspect was acting alone. His name has not yet been released because his family is still being notified by police, Cervera said.
Police initially reported eleven victims, but Cervera announced an additional one at a later news conference. On the way to the hospital, he said the last victim succumbed to injuries.
According to Cervera, at least four people were hospitalized and undergo surgery.
One of the wounded is a police officer shot in the gunfire exchange, but "his[ bulletproof] vest was saved," said Cervera.
Cervera said police are identifying victims in order to notify families.
At the time of the shooting Megan Banton was at the scene.
She said she was hiding with about 20 others in her supervisor's office as they could hear gunshots outside, trying to barricade the door as best they could.
"In order to keep everyone safe, we tried to do everything we could," she said. "We've all been frightened. It felt like we were not in a dream, it wasn't real. You're just scared because all you can hear is the gunshots. "Subsequently, the shooting survivors gathered at a nearby middle school with friends and relatives.
Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia with less than half a million inhabitants and is located by the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast of the state. It's a popular holiday spot.
The building where the shooting took place is a suburban complex kilometers from the beach and business district of downtown.
In a statement, the White House said the U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting and "continues to monitor the situation." Press conference visibly shook Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer.
"This is Virginia Beach's most devastating day in history," Dyer said at the press conference. "The people involved are our friends, coworkers, neighbors, colleagues." Ralph Norham, Governor of Virginia, responded to the Twitter event, saying it's a "tragic day" for the community.
"My heart breaks for the victims of this devastating shooting, their families and all those who loved them," he said, noting that he was on his way to Virginia Beach.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine tweeted that he was "devastated" by learning about the shooting and that he would "keep pushing Congress to take action to prevent the daily scourge of gun violence in America." Toronto Mayor John Tory also replied on Twitter, saying that he was "saddened by the news of the senseless tragedy."
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