Survivor who crossed path with gunman thought it was a drill
Posted June 2, 2019 1:06 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A man who survived a shooting at a Virginia Beach government building says he initially thought it was a drill for city employees — in part because he crossed paths with the gunman three times without getting shot.
Ned Carlstrom told The Associated Press on Sunday that he locked eyes with the shooter, DeWayne Craddock, twice but didn’t exchange any words. He can only guess why Craddock killed 12 people but spared him, never even pointing a gun at him.
Carlstrom said he initially thought Craddock was pretending to be an active shooter for a drill because his gun looked like a prop, and he didn’t point it at him.
Reality set in when Carlstrom looked outside and saw police officers drag away a fatally wounded contractor.
Michael Kunzelman, The Associated Press
