NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Ten days after a worker was shot on the job at the BAE Systems shipyard, authorities are still looking for clues.
A source identified the worker as Jeff Crane. Police say he was shot around 11 p.m. Saturday, August 1. He was treated and released from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Who fired the shot and from where remain the big unanswered questions. It happened right after the worker’s dinner break on the night shift at BAE Systems in Norfolk.
According to the source, Crane was with two coworkers at the stern of the guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley. They heard what they thought was a firecracker and realized that Crane had been shot in the back. A coworker helped with the wound until Crane could get medical attention.
Police say the victim was transported to Sentara Norfolk General with injuries not considered life-threatening.
He returned to work less than a week later.
As far as who fired the shot, BAE says it’s against company policy to carry personal firearms or other weapons on site. The source says the area is typically crawling with security.
It’s a straight line of sight from Portsmouth across the water to the Bulkeley, and it’s situated broadside at the shipyard, so its stern would be accessible from a distant point.
We checked with Portsmouth Police and they said their detectives looked for any evidence on their side of the water and found none, so they are no longer involved in the case.
We asked Norfolk Police about where the shot came from and what type of weapon was used. They said their investigation is ongoing and that NCIS is assisting.
The source says workers have been advised to seek company counseling if they need it, but he says they are more concerned about finding out how and why this shooting happened.
