VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares expressed his frustrations with the Virginia Beach Mass Shooting State Commission after 10 of its members stepped down.
In a letter to the state commission, Miyares penned his concerns by writing “I have been incredibly disappointed in the way the Commission has conducted their investigation and review thus far.”
He specifically noted the commission's second meeting back in August of 2021, where he said not even half of the members appeared for an FBI briefing to discuss five reports related to the shooting.
David Cariens, a member of the state commission, told 13News Now the group dropped from 21 members down to 11. He said the vacancies have halted progress in their efforts.
“I am on this commission because 12 people were murdered, four were wounded and countless scores of people are suffering from PTSD," Cariens said. "I think some members of the commission have lost sight of that.”
Miyares said the purpose of the commission is to conduct an independent review of the May 31 tragedy and recommend improvements to laws and institutions in Virginia.
In the letter, he also touched on what he calls "resistance" from the City of Virginia Beach and fellow commission members when it comes to seeking access to pertinent and necessary information.
He said the “failure of some Commissioners and the City of Virginia Beach to prioritize the work of the Commission has been justifiably upsetting to the families of the victims and the community as a whole.”
Cariens told us he hoped that by speaking out, the commission would move forward in getting answers for the public.
“That the members of the community, in whatever tools they have available, make sure to put pressure on the commission and on the politicians that we do do our job,” he said.
Miyares said after experiencing the tragedies at the University of Virginia and at the Walmart Supercenter in Chesapeake, he urges members to prioritize the Commission's mission.
"...treat your task with the seriousness and respect that it deserves. The families that have lost loved ones should expect nothing less," Miyares said.
In response to the letter, a spokesperson from the City of Virginia Beach released this statement saying,
“We understand and agree that the public has a right to look further into what transpired on that tragic day, and we are equally as disappointed with what this letter revealed about the status of the Commission. We have and will partner with any investigation or request for information in support of this effort while recovery and memorial planning efforts continue.”