On May 31, a disgruntled employee opened fire at Virginia Beach municipal center, and now a man who was hailed a hero for saving lives in the mass shooting has been honored.
Ryan Keith Cox was an account clerk who had worked in the public utilities department for more than 12 years. According to witnesses, Cox helped get his colleagues to safety during the shooting.
President Trump on Wednesday signed a bill into law naming a Virginia Beach post office after Cox, one of the 12 people killed in the mass shooting.
“If it wasn’t for him, there would have been several more people that had perished,” city employee Christi Dewar told CNN affiliate WAVY shortly after the shooting. “He was a hero.”
US Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, introduced the bill, which was signed into law “after swift bipartisan and bicameral passage in the House and Senate last month,” Luria’s office said in a press release Thursday.
“Virginia Beach and our entire Commonwealth will never forget Keith Cox’s courageous efforts to save his fellow Virginians,” Luria said. “The post office building will serve as a permanent reminder of his bravery and sacrifice. It’s an honor to recognize a true community hero.”
The post office, now unnamed, will be called the Ryan Keith Cox Post Office Building.
CNN’s Christina Maxouris contributed to this report.