An worker who gunned down eight folks at a California rail yard after which killed himself as legislation enforcement rushed in had talked about killing folks at work greater than a decade in the past, his ex-wife mentioned.The County of Santa Clara’s Workplace of the Medical Examiner-Coroner has recognized all eight victims beneath:Paul Delacruz Megia, 42Taptejdeep Singh, 36Adrian Balleza, 29Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, 35Timothy Michael Romo, 49Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63Lars Kepler Lane, 63 “I by no means believed him, and it by no means occurred. Till now,” a tearful Cecilia Nelms advised The Related Press on Wednesday following the 6:30 a.m. assault at a light-weight rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority.”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 advised reporters. Deputies “had been going by hallways saying, ‘Sheriff’s workplace!’ He knew at the moment that his time for firing photographs was over.”The sheriff’s workplace is subsequent door to the rail yard, which serves the county of greater than 1 million folks within the coronary heart of the Silicon Valley.A person wounded within the assault was in essential situation at Santa Clara Valley Medical Heart, spokesperson Pleasure Alexiou mentioned.The attacker was recognized as 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy, based on two legislation enforcement officers. Investigators provided no fast phrase on a attainable motive however his ex-wife mentioned he used to return house from work resentful and offended over what he perceived as unfair assignments.“He might dwell on issues,” she mentioned. The 2 had been married for about 10 years till a 2005 divorce submitting and he or she hadn’t been in contact with Cassidy for about 13 years, Nelms mentioned. Nelms, teary-eyed and shaken by the information, mentioned her ex-husband would come house wound up and offended about issues that occurred at work. As he talked about it, “he would get extra mad,” she mentioned. “He might dwell on issues.”When Cassidy misplaced his mood, Nelms mentioned there have been instances she was scared. He was somebody who might bodily damage others, she mentioned. Nelms mentioned they had been married for 10 years — Cassidy filed for divorce in 2005 — and had not been involved for 13 years. She mentioned he had been handled for melancholy.Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Russell Davis mentioned he didn’t know the kind of weapon used within the assault. Bomb squads searched the rail complicated after receiving details about attainable explosive units, he mentioned.Members of a union representing Valley Transportation Authority staff had been assembly when the taking pictures started, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo mentioned, however it’s not clear it was associated to the assault.When she heard photographs, transit authority mechanic Rochelle Hawkins mentioned she dropped her telephone.”I used to be working so quick. I simply ran for my life,” she mentioned. “I might hope everybody would simply pray for the VTA household. Simply pray for us.”Grief-stricken households sat huddled collectively after studying that they had misplaced a cherished one, District Lawyer Jeff Rosen advised reporters.”They’re simply sitting and holding fingers and crying,” Rosen mentioned. “It is horrible. It is terrible. It is uncooked. Persons are studying they misplaced their husband, their son, their brother.”Different family and friends members awaited information after being unable to succeed in their family members by calls or textual content messages. Some had tracked the lacking individual’s cellphone to the rail yard however had no data from authorities.”It is this terrible, darkish second for them, of not understanding however on the similar time, fearing the worst,” Liccardo mentioned. “I can not think about a extra terrible feeling for any partner or mother or father.”Christina Gonzalez advised The San Francisco Chronicle that her cousin, Michael Rudometkin, was a longtime VTA worker.Video beneath: Household reunites after San Jose taking pictures”We’re simply actually, actually hoping this is not the place they inform us the dangerous information,” Gonzalez advised the newspaper. “Please, simply pray.”Officers additionally had been investigating a home fireplace that broke out shortly earlier than the taking pictures, Davis mentioned. Public data present Cassidy owned a two-story house the place firefighters responded. Hearth crews discovered a fast-moving blaze after being notified by a passer-by. A neighboring home additionally caught fireplace, authorities mentioned.Doug Suh, who lives throughout the road from Cassidy, advised The Mercury Information in San Jose that Cassidy was “lonely” and “unusual” and that he by no means noticed anybody go to.”I would say hiya, and he’d simply take a look at me with out saying something,” Suh mentioned. 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 a minimum of 2012, based on the general public payroll and pension database generally known as Clear California. His place from 2012 to 2014 was listed as a mechanic. After that, he maintained substations, the data mentioned.Gov. Gavin Newsom, talking emotionally in entrance of a county workplace the place flags flew at half-staff, mentioned victims’ kin had been “ready to listen to from the coroner, ready to listen to from any of us, simply determined to search out out if their brother, their son, their dad, their mother continues to be alive.”The Sikh Coalition tweeted that it understood “there are various Sikhs employed at this facility.” The New York-based advocacy group mentioned “the group is in our prayers and our hearts as we work to study extra.” It comes after 4 Sikhs had been amongst eight folks killed in a taking pictures in April at a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis.The bloodshed comes amid an increase in mass killings after the pandemic had closed many public locations and saved folks confined to their properties 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 exhibits that the San Jose assault is the fifteenth mass killing thus far 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 or extra folks lifeless, not together with the shooter, that means the general toll of gun violence is way 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 will, and we should, do extra,” Biden mentioned in a press release.San Jose, the Tenth-largest metropolis within the U.S. with greater than one million folks, is about 50 miles south of San Francisco within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley. Trains had 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 advised reporters.Wednesday’s assault was Santa Clara County’s second taking pictures in lower than two years. A gunman killed three folks after which himself at a preferred garlic competition in Gilroy in July 2019.The Gilroy assault was on Mayor Liccardo’s thoughts Wednesday as textual content messages flooded in, reporting the taking pictures and fireplace.”Not once more,” he thought as he jumped in his automobile and raced to Metropolis Corridor. Transit authority staff advised him they knew Cassidy.”You attempt to perceive what would possess somebody to try this a lot hurt,” Liccardo mentioned by telephone. “It is unfathomable.”___Associated Press writers 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. CNN contributed to this report.
An worker who gunned down eight folks at a California rail yard after which killed himself as legislation enforcement rushed in had talked about killing folks at work greater than a decade in the past, his ex-wife mentioned.
The County of Santa Clara’s Workplace of the Medical Examiner-Coroner has recognized all eight victims beneath:
Commercial
- Paul Delacruz Megia, 42
- Taptejdeep Singh, 36
- Adrian Balleza, 29
- Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, 35
- Timothy Michael Romo, 49
- Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40
- Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63
- Lars Kepler Lane, 63
“I by no means believed him, and it by no means occurred. Till now,” a tearful Cecilia Nelms advised The Related Press on Wednesday following the 6:30 a.m. assault at a light-weight rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority.
“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 advised reporters. Deputies “had been going by hallways saying, ‘Sheriff’s workplace!’ He knew at the moment that his time for firing photographs was over.”
The sheriff’s workplace is subsequent door to the rail yard, which serves the county of greater than 1 million folks within the coronary heart of the Silicon Valley.
A person wounded within the assault was in essential situation at Santa Clara Valley Medical Heart, spokesperson Pleasure Alexiou mentioned.
The attacker was recognized as 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy, based on two legislation enforcement officers. Investigators provided no fast phrase on a attainable motive however his ex-wife mentioned he used to return house from work resentful and offended over what he perceived as unfair assignments.
“He might dwell on issues,” she mentioned. The 2 had been married for about 10 years till a 2005 divorce submitting and he or she hadn’t been in contact with Cassidy for about 13 years, Nelms mentioned.
Nelms, teary-eyed and shaken by the information, mentioned her ex-husband would come house wound up and offended about issues that occurred at work. As he talked about it, “he would get extra mad,” she mentioned. “He might dwell on issues.”
When Cassidy misplaced his mood, Nelms mentioned there have been instances she was scared. He was somebody who might bodily damage others, she mentioned.
Nelms mentioned they had been married for 10 years — Cassidy filed for divorce in 2005 — and had not been involved for 13 years. She mentioned he had been handled for melancholy.
Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Russell Davis mentioned he didn’t know the kind of weapon used within the assault. Bomb squads searched the rail complicated after receiving details about attainable explosive units, he mentioned.
Members of a union representing Valley Transportation Authority staff had been assembly when the taking pictures started, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo mentioned, however it’s not clear it was associated to the assault.
When she heard photographs, transit authority mechanic Rochelle Hawkins mentioned she dropped her telephone.
“I used to be working so quick. I simply ran for my life,” she mentioned. “I might hope everybody would simply pray for the VTA household. Simply pray for us.”
Grief-stricken households sat huddled collectively after studying that they had misplaced a cherished one, District Lawyer Jeff Rosen advised reporters.
“They’re simply sitting and holding fingers and crying,” Rosen mentioned. “It is horrible. It is terrible. It is uncooked. Persons are studying they misplaced their husband, their son, their brother.”
Different family and friends members awaited information after being unable to succeed in their family members by calls or textual content messages. Some had tracked the lacking individual’s cellphone to the rail yard however had no data from authorities.
“It is this terrible, darkish second for them, of not understanding however on the similar time, fearing the worst,” Liccardo mentioned. “I can not think about a extra terrible feeling for any partner or mother or father.”
Christina Gonzalez advised The San Francisco Chronicle that her cousin, Michael Rudometkin, was a longtime VTA worker.
Video beneath: Household reunites after San Jose taking pictures
“We’re simply actually, actually hoping this is not the place they inform us the dangerous information,” Gonzalez advised the newspaper. “Please, simply pray.”
Officers additionally had been investigating a home fireplace that broke out shortly earlier than the taking pictures, Davis mentioned. Public data present Cassidy owned a two-story house the place firefighters responded. Hearth crews discovered a fast-moving blaze after being notified by a passer-by. A neighboring home additionally caught fireplace, authorities mentioned.
Doug Suh, who lives throughout the road from Cassidy, advised The Mercury Information in San Jose that Cassidy was “lonely” and “unusual” and that he by no means noticed anybody go to.
“I would say hiya, and he’d simply take a look at me with out saying something,” Suh mentioned. 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 a minimum of 2012, based on the general public payroll and pension database generally known as Clear California. His place from 2012 to 2014 was listed as a mechanic. After that, he maintained substations, the data mentioned.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, talking emotionally in entrance of a county workplace the place flags flew at half-staff, mentioned victims’ kin had been “ready to listen to from the coroner, ready to listen to from any of us, simply determined to search out out if their brother, their son, their dad, their mother continues to be alive.”
The Sikh Coalition tweeted that it understood “there are various Sikhs employed at this facility.” The New York-based advocacy group mentioned “the group is in our prayers and our hearts as we work to study extra.” It comes after 4 Sikhs had been amongst eight folks killed in a taking pictures in April at a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis.
The bloodshed comes amid an increase in mass killings after the pandemic had closed many public locations and saved folks confined to their properties 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 exhibits that the San Jose assault is the fifteenth mass killing thus far 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 or extra folks lifeless, not together with the shooter, that means the general toll of gun violence is way 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 will, and we should, do extra,” Biden mentioned in a press release.
San Jose, the Tenth-largest metropolis within the U.S. with greater than one million folks, is about 50 miles south of San Francisco within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley.
Trains had 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 advised reporters.
Wednesday’s assault was Santa Clara County’s second taking pictures in lower than two years. A gunman killed three folks after which himself at a preferred garlic competition in Gilroy in July 2019.
The Gilroy assault was on Mayor Liccardo’s thoughts Wednesday as textual content messages flooded in, reporting the taking pictures and fireplace.
“Not once more,” he thought as he jumped in his automobile and raced to Metropolis Corridor. Transit authority staff advised him they knew Cassidy.
“You attempt to perceive what would possess somebody to try this a lot hurt,” Liccardo mentioned by telephone. “It is unfathomable.”
___
Related Press writers 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. CNN contributed to this report.
