Community remembers the victims, proclaims ‘we are Virginia Beach strong’

VIRGINIA BEACH — People of all faiths, creeds and walks of life gathered together at Rock Church on Thursday night to grieve the loss of the 12 people who were gunned down last Friday in Building 2 of the city’s Municipal Center.

The service was a mix of speakers and singers from all faiths.

The pinnacle of the evening was the naming of each of the 12 victims with a photo and music ensemble to commemorate them.

City Council members took turns standing up and saying their names, with each mention followed by a moment of silence.

Among the speakers of the evening were Gov. Ralph Northam, U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria, Vice Mayor James Wood and Mayor Bobby Dyer.

When the vice mayor was asked if he was surprised by the outpouring of love and support from the community, he told the crowd he would have been surprised if the community hadn’t responded this way.

“This is Virginia Beach and this is what we do,” he proclaimed.

Dyer spoke highly of all the emergency personnel, city staff and volunteers who’ve worked around the clock during the past few days.

Among the dead were four engineers who worked to maintain streets and protect wetlands and three right-of-way agents who reviewed property lines. Others included an account clerk, a technician, an administrative assistant and a special projects coordinator.

Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera identified the shooter, who died in a gunbattle with police, as a longtime city employee who worked as an engineer in the Municipal Complex. The shooter sent an emailed resignation letter to his boss just hours before the shooting.

“We are resilient and we are people of resolve. We will not let an act of evil define who we are,” he said.

The crowd gathered, cried together and mourned together, but they ended the way people of one community do, they sang together.

To find out how to support the 12 families and those injured, click here.

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