VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Months after a longtime public utilities employee opened fire at a Virginia Beach municipal building, the city has become short staffed in the divisions most affected by the shooting.
The Virginian-Pilot reports the number of vacancies in both the public works and public utilities departments have increased significantly since the May 31 shooting. Officials told the newspaper nearly a third of key engineering positions in both departments are vacant.
According to the newspaper, the shortages are leading to a backlog of work, with some projects being delayed by months or possibly even years.
The May attack claimed 12 lives. The shooter was killed by police. A months-long independent probe offered no clear answer about what motivated the shooting.
A report from the Chicago firm that investigated the shooting noted that some residents are getting angry about the work delays. The report says some residents have verbally abused employees over services not being delivered in a timely manner.
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