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Virginia Beach approves independent investigation into shooting

By Clyde Hughes
Mourners visit a memorial near the scene of a mass shooting where 12 people were killed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, last month. The city council approved an independent investigation into the shooting Tuesday. Photo by Ray Stubblebine/UPI
Mourners visit a memorial near the scene of a mass shooting where 12 people were killed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, last month. The city council approved an independent investigation into the shooting Tuesday. Photo by Ray Stubblebine/UPI | License Photo

July 3 (UPI) -- The Virginia Beach city council voted unanimously Tuesday for an independent investigation into a May 31 mass shooting at the city's municipal center that killed 12 people and wounded four others.

Some city council members wanted to wait until the criminal probe was done, but relented to public pressure, some applied by the families of the victims.

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"The time for thinking about and debating this is done," Kevin Martingayle, an attorney for one of the shooting victim's families, told The Virginian-Pilot. "It's time for action."

City Auditor Lyndon Remias will take bids for the independent consultant from Wednesday to July 12. Remias said the investigation could start as soon as the contract is awarded, possibly within three to four weeks.

Jason Nixon, whose wife Kate was a city compliance officer who had written up alleged gunman DeWayne Craddock before the shooting, said an independent investigation was needed to determine why he was not dismissed long before the incident. Kate Nixon was one of the 12 people killed.

Craddock resigned from his job as an engineer with the city hours before coming to the municipal center and opening fire. He was killed in a shootout with police during the incident. Craddock said he resigned from his job for personal reasons.

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Another mass shooting occurred Tuesday afternoon, this time in San Bruno, Calif., where someone opened fire at a shopping mall injuring four people. Two shooters escaped the scene and remain at large after firing weapons at The Shops at Tanforan, San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa said.

The BART San Bruno station closed after the shooting but officials established a bus bridge from the South San Francisco station to San Francisco International Airport.

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