GF Blue logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Public Works Community Mourns Virginia Beach Shooting Victims

A 40-year-old Virginia Beach, Va., city engineer fired indiscriminately on a municipal building, killing 12 before being shot by police.

Thi Dao
Thi DaoFormer Executive Editor
Read Thi's Posts
June 3, 2019
Public Works Community Mourns Virginia Beach Shooting Victims

 

Photo courtesy of Pexels

2 min to read


The Public Works community mourned the loss of its colleagues in the May 31 shooting in Virginia Beach, Va. A 40-year-old city engineer, DeWayne Craddock, fired indiscriminately on a municipal building, killing 12 before being shot by police. Craddock had resigned that morning, and a motive has not been determined, CNN reported.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) issued the following statement: “On behalf of APWA we wish to express our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and communities of the victims in the recent Virginia Beach shootings. While these senseless shootings are always an atrocity, this one touched our APWA family and community. Know that we will band together as a community to recognize these fallen heroes.”

Ad Loading...

The Mid-Atlantic chapter of the APWA tweeted: “We stand with Virginia Beach. Last week tragedy struck Public Works and Public Utilities in Virginia Beach. We must remember those we lost and keep those affected in our thoughts and prayers.”

Eleven of the 12 victims worked in Public Works and Public Utilities, and one was a contractor who was in the building. The victims are:

Laquita Brown, Mary Louise Gayle, and Alexander Mikhail Gusev, Public Works right-of-way agents; Tara Welch Gallagher and Christopher Kelly Rapp, Public Works engineers; Katherine Nixon and Richard Nettleton, Public Utilities engineers; Ryan Keith Cox, Public Utilities account clerk; Joshua Hardy, Public Utilities engineering technician; Missy Langer, Public Utilities administrative assistant; Bobby Williams, Public Utilities special projects coordinator; and Bert Snelling, contractor.

Fleet management is a division of Public Works. It appears none of the named victims worked for fleet management.

City offices at the municipal center complex are closed on June 3. Offices at the complex will open tomorrow except for building 2, which will remain closed until further notice.

More Operations

GovCast podcast graphic.
OperationsJuly 21, 2026

The Network Behind Better Government Fleet Decisions

A discussion on why relationships across the government fleet community have played such an important role and what shapes the leadership response.

Read More →
A graphic showing a mechanic and car engine.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseJuly 21, 2026

Ford, BlackRock, Google and Carhartt Form Skilled Trades Workforce Alliance

The alliance plans to develop a stronger pipeline between training programs and available jobs while examining workforce efforts already underway across the country.

Read More →
A GovCast Fro the Show Floor graphic with david renschler.
OperationsJuly 20, 2026

The Network Behind Better Government Fleet Decisions

A discussion on why relationships across the government fleet community have played such an important role and what shapes the leadership response.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A cheat sheet thumbnail with images of a checklist and mechanic.
OperationsJuly 20, 2026

What Makes Fleet Technicians Stay? | GovCast Cheat Sheet

The technician hiring and retention discussion is not new, but the way fleets respond to it continues to matter.

Read More →
Cover of the "Top 50 Green Fleets" report presented by Automotive Fleet and Inspiration Fleet, featuring an aerial nighttime photo of a lit highway interchange with looping ramps.
SponsoredJuly 16, 2026

The Top 50 Green Fleets

The List Is in: The Top 50 Green Fleets

Read More →
A GovCast podcast thumbnail.
Operationsby Nichole OsinskiJuly 16, 2026

On the Road with Government Fleet: Essential Podcasts for Professionals

Let's celebrate listening! Check out a GovCast podcast and discover the insights and strategies that can transform your fleet management approach.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Operationsby Nichole OsinskiJuly 13, 2026

How Real-World Vehicle Use Guides Replacement And Budgets

Three public fleet leaders explain how they use real-world vehicle data and long-term planning to keep aging assets in service and make more informed replacement and budgeting decisions in a high-cost environment.

Read More →
A GovCast Cheat Sheet graphic for youtube.
OperationsJuly 9, 2026

When Fleet Data Has to Actually Mean Something | GovCast Cheat Sheet

Better fleet technology only works when the information behind it can actually support decisions.

Read More →
A GovCast Fro the Show Floor graphic with tim coxwell.
OperationsJuly 6, 2026

Why Public Fleet Success Depends on More Than the Vehicles | From the Show Floor with Tim Coxwell

Fleet decisions rarely stay inside the garage. From funding pressure to emissions planning, Tim Coxwell explains what it takes to keep a sheriff’s office fleet moving while planning for what comes next.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an horse drawn ambulance and modern ambulance with an American flag overlay and the words Americas Fleet Evolution
Operationsby Jeanny AbrahamJuly 2, 2026

How Government Fleets Helped Build America

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, this look back explores how government fleets evolved from horse-drawn wagons to specialized vehicles that keep communities running today.

Read More →