An worker opened hearth Wednesday at a California rail yard, killing eight folks earlier than taking his personal life as legislation enforcement rushed in, authorities stated, marking the most recent assault in a yr that has seen a pointy improve in mass killings because the nation emerges from coronavirus restrictions.The taking pictures befell round 6:30 a.m. in two buildings which can be a part of a light-weight rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority, which gives bus, mild rail and different transit companies all through Santa Clara County, probably the most populated county within the San Francisco Bay Space. The ability in San Jose features a transit-control middle, parking for trains and a upkeep yard.”When our deputies went by the door, initially he was nonetheless firing rounds. When our deputy noticed him, he took his life,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith instructed reporters. Deputies “have been going by hallways saying, ‘Sheriff’s workplace!’ He knew at the moment that his time for firing pictures was over.”A person who was wounded was in essential situation at Santa Clara Valley Medical Middle, spokesperson Pleasure Alexiou stated.The attacker was recognized as 57-year-old Sam Cassidy, in accordance with two legislation enforcement officers. Investigators provided no rapid phrase on a doable motive.Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Russell Davis stated he didn’t know the kind of weapon used within the assault. Bomb squads have been looking out the rail advanced after receiving details about doable explosive units, he stated.Authorities didn’t establish any of the victims, who included Valley Transportation Authority staff.Members of a union representing transit staff have been assembly when the shooter started firing, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo stated, but it surely’s not clear that it was associated to the assault.When she heard pictures, transit authority mechanic Rochelle Hawkins stated she dropped her telephone.”I used to be working so quick, I simply ran for my life,” she stated. “I’d hope everybody would simply pray for the VTA household. Simply pray for us.”Grief-stricken households sat huddled collectively inside a county constructing after studying they’d misplaced a liked one, District Lawyer Jeff Rosen instructed reporters.”They’re simply sitting and holding arms and crying,” Rosen stated. “It’s horrible. It’s terrible. It’s uncooked. Persons are studying they misplaced their husband, their son, their brother.” He stated about 100 folks have been inside a household reunification middle.Video under: Household reunites after San Jose shootingPolice automobiles and crime-scene tape blocked off the realm close to metropolis and depend authorities buildings and the sheriff’s workplace.Officers additionally have been investigating a home hearth that broke out shortly earlier than the taking pictures, Davis stated. Public information present Cassidy owned a two-story dwelling the place firefighters responded. Fireplace crews discovered a fast-moving blaze after being notified by a passer-by. A neighboring home additionally caught hearth, authorities stated.Doug Suh, who lives throughout the road from Cassidy, instructed The Mercury Information in San Jose that Cassidy was “lonely” and “unusual” and that he by no means noticed anybody go to.”I’d say good day, and he’d simply have a look at me with out saying something,” Suh stated. As soon as, Cassidy yelled at him to remain away as he was backing up his automobile. “After that, I by no means talked to him once more.”Cassidy had labored for Valley Transportation Authority since not less than 2012, in accordance with the general public payroll and pension database referred to as Clear California. His place from 2012 to 2014 was listed as a mechanic. After that, he maintained substations, the information stated.Trains have been already out on morning runs when the taking pictures occurred. Mild rail service was suspended and changed with bus bridges, company Chairman Glenn Hendricks instructed reporters.Gov. Gavin Newsom, talking emotionally in entrance of a county workplace the place flags flew at half-staff, stated victims’ kinfolk have been “ready to listen to from the coroner, ready to listen to from any of us, simply determined to seek out out if their brother, their son, their dad, their mother remains to be alive.”The bloodshed comes amid an increase in mass killings after the pandemic closed many public locations and saved folks confined to their houses final yr.A database compiled by The Related Press, USA Right now and Northeastern College that tracks each mass killing over the past 15 years reveals that the San Jose assault is the fifteenth mass killing to date in 2023, all of them shootings.Eighty-six folks have died within the shootings, in contrast with 106 for all of 2023. It’s the sixth mass killing in a public place in 2023. The database defines mass killings as 4 folks lifeless, not together with the shooter, that means the general toll of gun violence is far increased when including in smaller incidents.On the White Home, President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff and urged Congress to behave on laws to curb gun violence.”Each life that’s taken by a bullet pierces the soul of our nation. We are able to, and we should, do extra,” Biden stated in a press release.San Jose, the Tenth-largest metropolis within the U.S. with greater than 1,000,000 folks, is about 50 miles south of San Francisco within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley.Wednesday’s assault was Santa Clara County’s second taking pictures in lower than two years. A gunman killed three folks earlier than killing himself at a preferred garlic competition in Gilroy in July 2019.Two of the victims within the Gilroy taking pictures — a 6-year-old boy and a 13-year-old lady — had lived in San Jose. Their deaths have been on Mayor Liccardo’s thoughts Wednesday as textual content messages flooded in, reporting the lively shooter and the hearth.”Not once more,” he thought as he jumped in his automobile and raced to Metropolis Corridor. Transit authority staff instructed him they knew Cassidy.”You attempt to perceive what would possess somebody to try this a lot hurt,” Liccardo stated by telephone. “It’s unfathomable.”___Associated Press writers Martha Mendoza in San Jose, Janie Har in San Francisco, John Antczak and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles, and Michael Balsamo and Colleen Lengthy in Washington contributed to this report.
An worker opened hearth Wednesday at a California rail yard, killing eight folks earlier than taking his personal life as legislation enforcement rushed in, authorities stated, marking the most recent assault in a yr that has seen a pointy improve in mass killings because the nation emerges from coronavirus restrictions.
The taking pictures befell round 6:30 a.m. in two buildings which can be a part of a light-weight rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority, which gives bus, mild rail and different transit companies all through Santa Clara County, probably the most populated county within the San Francisco Bay Space. The ability in San Jose features a transit-control middle, parking for trains and a upkeep yard.
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“When our deputies went by the door, initially he was nonetheless firing rounds. When our deputy noticed him, he took his life,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith instructed reporters. Deputies “have been going by hallways saying, ‘Sheriff’s workplace!’ He knew at the moment that his time for firing pictures was over.”
A person who was wounded was in essential situation at Santa Clara Valley Medical Middle, spokesperson Pleasure Alexiou stated.
The attacker was recognized as 57-year-old Sam Cassidy, in accordance with two legislation enforcement officers. Investigators provided no rapid phrase on a doable motive.
Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Russell Davis stated he didn’t know the kind of weapon used within the assault. Bomb squads have been looking out the rail advanced after receiving details about doable explosive units, he stated.
Authorities didn’t establish any of the victims, who included Valley Transportation Authority staff.
Members of a union representing transit staff have been assembly when the shooter started firing, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo stated, but it surely’s not clear that it was associated to the assault.
When she heard pictures, transit authority mechanic Rochelle Hawkins stated she dropped her telephone.
“I used to be working so quick, I simply ran for my life,” she stated. “I’d hope everybody would simply pray for the VTA household. Simply pray for us.”
Grief-stricken households sat huddled collectively inside a county constructing after studying they’d misplaced a liked one, District Lawyer Jeff Rosen instructed reporters.
“They’re simply sitting and holding arms and crying,” Rosen stated. “It’s horrible. It’s terrible. It’s uncooked. Persons are studying they misplaced their husband, their son, their brother.” He stated about 100 folks have been inside a household reunification middle.
Video under: Household reunites after San Jose taking pictures
Police automobiles and crime-scene tape blocked off the realm close to metropolis and depend authorities buildings and the sheriff’s workplace.
Officers additionally have been investigating a home hearth that broke out shortly earlier than the taking pictures, Davis stated. Public information present Cassidy owned a two-story dwelling the place firefighters responded. Fireplace crews discovered a fast-moving blaze after being notified by a passer-by. A neighboring home additionally caught hearth, authorities stated.
Doug Suh, who lives throughout the road from Cassidy, instructed The Mercury Information in San Jose that Cassidy was “lonely” and “unusual” and that he by no means noticed anybody go to.
“I’d say good day, and he’d simply have a look at me with out saying something,” Suh stated. As soon as, Cassidy yelled at him to remain away as he was backing up his automobile. “After that, I by no means talked to him once more.”
Cassidy had labored for Valley Transportation Authority since not less than 2012, in accordance with the general public payroll and pension database referred to as Clear California. His place from 2012 to 2014 was listed as a mechanic. After that, he maintained substations, the information stated.
Trains have been already out on morning runs when the taking pictures occurred. Mild rail service was suspended and changed with bus bridges, company Chairman Glenn Hendricks instructed reporters.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, talking emotionally in entrance of a county workplace the place flags flew at half-staff, stated victims’ kinfolk have been “ready to listen to from the coroner, ready to listen to from any of us, simply determined to seek out out if their brother, their son, their dad, their mother remains to be alive.”
The bloodshed comes amid an increase in mass killings after the pandemic closed many public locations and saved folks confined to their houses final yr.
A database compiled by The Related Press, USA Right now and Northeastern College that tracks each mass killing over the past 15 years reveals that the San Jose assault is the fifteenth mass killing to date in 2023, all of them shootings.
Eighty-six folks have died within the shootings, in contrast with 106 for all of 2023. It’s the sixth mass killing in a public place in 2023. The database defines mass killings as 4 folks lifeless, not together with the shooter, that means the general toll of gun violence is far increased when including in smaller incidents.
On the White Home, President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff and urged Congress to behave on laws to curb gun violence.
“Each life that’s taken by a bullet pierces the soul of our nation. We are able to, and we should, do extra,” Biden stated in a press release.
San Jose, the Tenth-largest metropolis within the U.S. with greater than 1,000,000 folks, is about 50 miles south of San Francisco within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley.
Wednesday’s assault was Santa Clara County’s second taking pictures in lower than two years. A gunman killed three folks earlier than killing himself at a preferred garlic competition in Gilroy in July 2019.
Two of the victims within the Gilroy taking pictures — a 6-year-old boy and a 13-year-old lady — had lived in San Jose. Their deaths have been on Mayor Liccardo’s thoughts Wednesday as textual content messages flooded in, reporting the lively shooter and the hearth.
“Not once more,” he thought as he jumped in his automobile and raced to Metropolis Corridor. Transit authority staff instructed him they knew Cassidy.
“You attempt to perceive what would possess somebody to try this a lot hurt,” Liccardo stated by telephone. “It’s unfathomable.”
___
Related Press writers Martha Mendoza in San Jose, Janie Har in San Francisco, John Antczak and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles, and Michael Balsamo and Colleen Lengthy in Washington contributed to this report.
