WASHINGTON — Families of victims in the May 31, 2019, mass shooting in Virginia Beach are in Washington D.C., meeting with members of Congress.
The families are pushing for additional resources nearly four years after the mass shooting when a gunman killed 12 people.
The families said they're trying to gain support for their efforts to secure financial and mental health resources not only for themselves but for the more than 400 municipal employees who were inside the building during the mass shooting.
The group sat down with Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. They also sat down with Representatives Bobby Scott and Abigail Spanberger.
"We met with some very nice Congress members," said Jason Nixon, whose wife, Kate, was one of the 12 people killed in the mass shooting.
News 3's Leondra Head caught up with Nixon as he and other families made their rounds visiting members of Congress.
"I made a promise to Kate that I would make this right," Jason said. "Kate was a leader. Her co-workers lived because of her. I want her memory to go down that she’s still fighting for her city employees and co-workers." Nixon said.
Nixon said he and the other families aren't asking for a lot.
We’re being very gracious with our ask," he said. "I don’t many people that would ask to be compensated but at the same time ask for other people to be compensated in return."
The families of the mass shooting victims are seeking $40 million from the Virginia General Assembly. Of that, they are requesting that $25 million be divided among the 12 families who lost their loved ones and $15 million go to the 400 plus municipal employees who were also present in the building during the mass shooting.
"What we’re seeking from Congress at this moment is just support of the effort at the state level," said Justin Fairfax, the former lieutenant governor of Virginia who is also representing eight of the 12 families. "We want the senators and members of the house to say 'you know what, it is time for the General Assembly to do the right thing'."
"We wanted to first have them hear the stories of families from the May 19th mass shooting, but also wanted to make sure we got support from their efforts to get healing, to get compensation," Fairfax said.
Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after meeting with the families:
“My heart is broken for all who lost a loved one in the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center in 2019. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet with affected families to hear their stories about grappling with the aftermath of this tragedy. Just as Congress must do more to stem the disastrous tide of gun violence, it is my hope that Virginia Beach and the Commonwealth of Virginia do more to support these families."
