WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – Investigators continue to learn more about Friday’s mass shooting at a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia where 12 workers were gunned down and killed. Another 4 are in critical condition.
Investigators are still putting together their picture of the gunman in hopes of answering everyone’s question: why he did it. This, as the community comes together to heal.
Monday in Virginia Beach, a service was held honoring the 12 victims of Friday’s massacre and offering comfort to a wounded community.
Nearby, some municipal workers are still struggling to process the tragedy.
Returning to work are survivors like receptionist Christina Smith, remembering lost colleagues. “Just some very wonderful people whose lives were lost,” Smith said.
Lives lost—marked by 12 crosses at the scene as investigators continue their search for a motive including looking into the shooter’s mental state after one victim, 39-year-old Laquita Brown, expressed concern to her family.
Brown’s uncle explained, “She actually felt you know that… he wasn’t in his right mind at times.”
The city’s mayor, Robert Dyer, is unwilling to engage on the gun issue at this point. “Right now our focus as a city is with the families and those sorts of things,” he said. “But obviously this is going to prompt a national discussion.”
It was an echo of the White House response. Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney stated, “Let’s not get into the politics so soon. Let’s think about the families.”
Congress, just back from recess, is facing yet another mass shooting and renewed pressure to take action.
Virginia Beach resident Pam Gonzales said, “Getting that amount of weapons, it doesn’t make… it doesn’t make sense to me. Why someone would need that?”
For victims’ families and the community, the search for answers goes on.
Investigators say the gunman’s resignation via email hours before the shooting yielded no clues to his motivation.
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