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No Explanation for Virginia Beach Mass Shooting, Report Says

DeWayne Craddock
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DeWayne Craddock

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - An independent probe into Virginia Beach's mass shooting fails to offer clear answers for exactly why a city engineer opened fire in his workplace.

Chicago-based security firm Hillard Heintze concluded its investigation into the May 31 shooting and offered a 262-page report Wednesday to Virginia Beach's City Council.

DeWayne Craddock killed 12 people before he died in a gunbattle with police. He had submitted his resignation that day.

The firm's CEO, Arnette Heintze, told council members there were no warning signs that would have helped the city prevent the shooting.

He did say Craddock's work performance had declined and Craddock had written unsent emails claiming he was unjustly disciplined. The probe found Craddock had started buying guns and took an interest in mass shootings in the years before the shooting.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.