A moment of silence on Saturday will mark 6 years since a mass shooting in Virginia Beach
The moment marks the time an emergency call reporting a mass shooting inside the city's municipal center was received six years ago. Inside Building 2, a city employee shot and killed 12 people and wounded five others. In the years since, community members and the city have worked to remember the victims and uplift the survivors.
At the Mary C. Russo Volunteer Recognition Gazebo, located behind City Hall, the city will host an 'intimate gathering' for those who want to gather in person. The event will begin at 4 p.m. and include a moment of silence and reading of names. The event is free and open to the public, and residents are encouraged to wear blue, the color of remembrance.
Residents at home can also hold their own moments of silence. At locations across the city, forget-me-not flowers will be on display. The symbol will be painted at Mount Trashmore Park, and remembrance flags will be placed at 40 locations in Virginia Beach. Blue lights will also shine at Building 30, the Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and the Greenwich and Lesner bridges. The city has also created a 'Love For VB' Facebook frame for residents to show public support online.
Since the tragedy, the 5/31 Memorial Committee has worked to develop a permanent location to honor the victims and survivors. The site for the permanent memorial is still under construction, which is why this year's events will be held behind City Hall. The memorial park will be built on 1.3 acres of city land at the corner of Princess Anne Road and Nimmo Parkway, across the street from the municipal complex. It will feature timelines representing the 12 people — 11 city workers and one contractor — who died. It will also include a grove of trees that pays homage to the survivors and a large 'hero' tree dedicated to the first responders who responded to the shooting.
'As the entry space of the memorial grounds, the Survivor's Grove greets and invites all visitors into this place of remembrance and healing,' the design plan for the memorial says.
Construction on the memorial is still on scheduled to be completed by May 31, 2026. City spokesperson Ali Weatherton said construction costs are $12 million, with the project's full budget coming in at $14 million. Last October, the City Council unanimously approved moving another $4.3 million from the general fund to the 5/31 Memorial project. It was the third allocation for the park. The city previously approved $1.2 million for design and $8.5 million for construction.
Weatherton said contractors have completed most of the site's demolition and installation of stormwater drainage piping. Currently, crews are working on the site's fountain, including its framework and pump room. Next, crews will move on to its plumbing.
Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
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