VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Site work has begun near Nimmo Parkway and Princess Anne Road on a memorial to remember the 12 people killed in the May 31, 2019, mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.
The outdoor memorial will also recognize first responders and survivors of the tragedy.
After years of planning, the 5/31 committee met with architects on Wednesday night to get an update on the progress.
Watch previous coverage: Virginia Beach committee makes progress on memorial honoring 5/31 mass shooting victims
News 3 spoke to one of the victims' family members, who said they are happy with the progress on the memorial being built.
"I think it’s a wonderful, beautiful site that’s really going to represent my brother and all the others," said Ervin Cox, whose brother, Ryan Keith Cox, died while saving others.
On Thursday, Clay Dills, owner of Dills Architects, walked through the site with News 3 reporter Angela Bohon. He is behind the design and talked about how his team and the committee have carefully thought out each part of the memorial.
“This looks like progress to me,” Dills said while walking toward the former parking lot. “Looks like rubble and mud right now, but this will be the future of the Survivor’s Grove.”
Watch previous coverage: Final plans unveiled for VB 5/31 memorial to honor mass shooting victims
He discussed how there will be a pathway leading directly to the Heroes' Tree.
“It’s dedicated to the first responders, all the individuals who helped to save others and rescue people during the event,” he said.
Dills also explained that there will be a wall with the victims’ names, as well as a reflecting pool with places to sit and contemplate. He said it is designed to be a place of healing.
The contractor, E.T. Gresham, has started site work. Construction equipment is visible from the intersection of Nimmo Parkway and Princess Anne Road.
The memorial is expected to open to the public in May 2026. In the meantime, Dills says family members, survivors, and 5/31 Committee members will receive regular updates, including drone video of the construction site.
