Mary Louise ’Mary Lou’ Crutsinger Gayle, 65, was one of 12 people killed in the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center on May 31, 2019. The shooter, 40-year-old DeWayne Craddock, was a city public utilities engineer who entered Building 2 in the late afternoon armed with two .45-caliber pistols and fired at coworkers.

Gayle, described as a dedicated public servant, was among those who did not survive the attack. The rampage ended when police confronted Craddock and he was killed in the ensuing gunfight.

Investigators later reported that Craddock had emailed his resignation hours before the shooting and appeared motivated by long-standing perceived workplace grievances, though no single definitive motive was established.