Officials release names of shooter and victims in deadly yoga studio shooting in Florida

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Saturday, November 3, 2018
Police identify Tallahassee shooting victims
The department identified the two people who were killed as Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, 61, and Maura Binkley, 21.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Authorities have identified the shooter at a yoga studio in Tallahassee and the two people he killed, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

The Tallahassee Police Department has identified the shooter as Scott Paul Beierle, 40, the newspaper reports. He killed himself at the scene Friday.

The department identified the two people who were killed as Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, 61, and Maura Binkley, 21, the Democrat reports.

The newspaper says that Van Vessem was internist who served as chief medical director for Capital Health Plan.

Capital Health Plan issued a statement praising Van Vessem, the Democrat reported.

"As CHP's longtime chief medical director, Nancy has been a guiding, visionary force in our daily work to serve the wellness and health care needs of thousands of families in this community. Her dedication, caring, leadership, humanity, and experience made her one of the most respected, inspiring, and accomplished medical professionals in the state and country. Our hearts are filled with sorrow and prayers for her family. We all have been so blessed to have Nancy in our lives," the company said.

Florida State University President John Thrasher says Van Vessem and Binkley had ties to the university.

"To lose one of our students and one of our faculty members in this tragic and violent way is just devastating to the Florida State University family. We feel this loss profoundly and we send our deepest sympathies to Maura's and Nancy's loved ones while we pray for the recovery of those who were injured," Thrasher said in a statement.