VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Six years after a mass shooting claimed the lives of 12 people, the Virginia Beach community gathered to honor the victims during a solemn ceremony.
Drew Lankford, who worked for Public Works at the time, shared his emotional memories of that fateful day. He received a distressing phone call from his daughter, who was inside City Hall when the shooting occurred.
“She was sobbing and asked if I was okay, saying there was an active shooter,” Lankford recalled. “I could hardly process it.”
Lankford expressed his lingering questions about the shooting. “Why did you have to come up one floor and kill my coworkers? They didn’t do anything,” he said, reflecting on the senseless violence that unfolded.
The ceremony took place at the Mary C. Russo Volunteer Recognition Gazebo, located behind City Hall. Attendees observed a moment of silence, accompanied by bagpipe music, as community members and family members of the victims stood together in remembrance.
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer addressed the crowd, emphasizing the city's commitment to healing. “The city is focusing on helping mental health services and things of that nature,” he said. “We’ve been pretty proactive to make sure we are doing the right thing to help those who need it.”
Dyer also shared hopes for a new memorial dedicated to the victims, which is expected to be completed by the time of next year's anniversary.
“It’s going to be beautiful, and I can’t wait for them to get it completed,” Lankford added, expressing his anticipation for the memorial to serve as a symbol of peace and perseverance for the community.
As the anniversary is observed, the Virginia Beach community continues to remember the 12 lives lost while seeking healing and progress.
