Lessons from a Workplace Shooting in Virginia Beach

The Friday afternoon was passing normally for employees at Virginia Beach's municipal complex. As 4 p.m. rolled around on May 31, most were undoubtedly thinking about their plans for the upcoming weekend. Their peaceful afternoon, however, was soon shattered by an all-too-common occurrence: a workplace shooting. In a massacre that would ultimately kill 12 and injure four more, an engineer who had worked for the city for 15 years killed a contractor outside before entering building two and gunning down co-workers on three different floors. Once more, the attack highlights the threats posed by workplace violence and mass public attacks. And as in past shootings, the Virginia Beach massacre offers several lessons to all -- whether it's putting distance between oneself and a shooter, recognizing warning signs like behavioral changes or more -- that can help anyone avoid becoming a victim of such an incident....