Virginia Beach dedicates 531 Memorial, honoring 12 lives lost on May 31, 2019

Virginia Beach city leaders and survivors gathered to dedicate the 531 Memorial, marking seven years since the May 31, 2019 shooting that killed 12 people. City Manager Patrick Duhaney opened the ceremony and read the names of the 12 people the community lost.

The dedication brought survivors, family members, civic leaders and the memorial design team together to emphasize both remembrance and ongoing support for those affected. "Your loved ones will never be forgotten," Mayor Robert M. "Bobby" Dyer said during his remarks, praising the community’s continued care and the work of the 531 committee and contractors.

Tracy Fick, CEO of Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia, said the memorial reflects collective care for families and survivors and quoted an Irish proverb: "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal." Fick described the memorial as a living testament shaped by community service and long-term support.

Kelly Mills, identified as a public works engineer speaking on behalf of survivors, described the memorial’s role for those directly affected and praised the collaboration that produced the site. "It's a water fountain of sanctuary," Mills said, characterizing the reflecting pool and grove as places for reconvening, reflection and healing.

Memorial architect Klay Dills of Dills Architects outlined design choices intended to support contemplation: engraved name walls, preserved stones from earlier remembrances, a reflecting pool that transitions into a waterfall and a survivors' grove among mature trees. Dills noted that a prominent "hero tree" honors first responders and that community input guided many design decisions.

Organizers encouraged attendees to move through the memorial in small groups and noted that members of the Virginia Beach Police Department Chaplain Corps were available on site and that an audio tour and information cards were provided for visitors. The ceremony concluded with a musical performance of "Amazing Grace."

The dedication emphasized remembrance and healing rather than policy decisions; attendees and speakers repeatedly framed the memorial as a place to gather, reflect and support survivors and families in the years after the tragedy.