Chesapeake Mayor Rick West shared a statement of condolences to the victims of the tragedy via Twitter. “I am devastated by the senseless violence that took place last night in our city,” West said. “My prayers are with all those affected — the victims, their family, their friends, and their coworkers.”
“Chesapeake is a tight-knit community and we are all shaken by this news. Together, we will support each other throughout this time,” the mayor added. “Please keep us in your prayers.”
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also posted a message of support on Twitter. “Heinous acts of violence have no place in our communities,” Youngkin said.
President Joe Biden also offered condolences and said the US must do more to confront its epidemic of gun violence. “We are grateful to the first responders who mobilized to assist victims, and I have directed federal officials to provide any support and assistance needed to the people of Chesapeake,” he said in a statement.
Workplace mass shootings are not rare in the US. Last year, a former employee of a FedEx facility in Indianapolis killed eight coworkers and himself. Two years prior, a man resigned from his job and then shot dead 12 others at a Virginia Beach municipal building. In 2016, a shooter killed three people at a turf company in Hesston, Kansas, before being shot dead.
The Chesapeake shooting comes just days after a gunman opened fire at Club Q, a gay bar in Colorado Springs, killing five and leaving at least 18 people injured before being taken down by two patrons.
Earlier this month in Virginia, three football players at the University of Virginia were shot dead on a bus by a fellow student as they returned from a field trip.
The American Public Health Association says gun violence in the US is a public health crisis. It is a leading cause of premature death in the country, responsible for more than 38,000 deaths annually. As of Nov. 23, at least 39,696 people have died from gun violence this year, and another 21,582 have died by suicide, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
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