A gunman who killed 9 individuals at a California rail yard the place he labored appeared to focus on a few of the victims, a sheriff instructed The Related Press on Thursday, whereas a Biden administration official stated the shooter spoke of hating his office when customs officers detained him after a 2016 journey to the Philippines.Samuel Cassidy, 57, arrived on the gentle rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority in San Jose round 6 a.m. Wednesday with a duffel bag stuffed with semi-automatic handguns and high-capacity magazines, Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith stated.”It seems to us at this level that he stated to one of many individuals there: ‘I am not going to shoot you,'” Smith stated. “After which he shot different individuals. So I think about there was some form of thought on who he needed to shoot.”Whereas there aren’t any cameras contained in the rail yard’s two buildings, Smith stated footage captured him shifting from one location to the subsequent. It took deputies six minutes from the primary 911 calls to search out the gunman on the third flooring of one of many buildings, Smith stated.The gunman, who fired a complete of 39 bullets, killed himself as deputies closed in on the power serving the county of greater than 1 million individuals within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley. Greater than 100 individuals have been there on the time, and authorities discovered 5 victims in a single constructing and two in one other, Smith stated.Kirk Bertolet, 64, was simply beginning his shift when pictures rang out. He stated Thursday that the gunman labored frequently with the victims. He known as them “a superb bunch of blue-collar individuals” however stated he caught out as a loner and outsider.”I do know a few of these guys, they’re going to maintain joking with you and so they’ll maintain hammering you about stuff. And if you happen to’re thin-skinned and you may’t take it … I see that’s the essential reason for what is going on on,” Bertolet stated.Sheriff’s officers described the gunman as “a extremely disgruntled VTA worker for a few years,” saying which will have contributed to him focusing on the employees. Paperwork present he had labored on the transit authority since not less than 2012.The County of Santa Clara’s Workplace of the Medical Examiner-Coroner has recognized all 9 victims beneath:Paul Delacruz Megia, 42Taptejdeep Singh, 36Adrian Balleza, 29Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, 35Timothy Michael Romo, 49Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63Lars Kepler Lane, 63Alex Ward Fritch, 49Bertolet, a sign upkeep employee who labored in a separate unit from the gunman, stated he’s satisfied the gunman focused his victims as a result of he did not damage individuals he encountered on the way in which to the second constructing, the place extra pictures have been fired. “Sam made positive he killed all who he needed. He made positive they have been lifeless,” Bertolet stated. “I watched a few of my coworkers breathe their final breaths, and so they have been all gone. Seven of them have been simply gone.”After being detained by customs officers in 2016, he was discovered to have a memo e book with notes on how he hated the Valley Transportation Authority, in keeping with a Biden administration official who described a Division of Homeland Safety memo laying out his statements. The official noticed the memo and detailed its contents to the AP however was not approved to talk publicly concerning the ongoing investigation.The Wall Avenue Journal first reported the memo.It does not say why he was stopped by customs officers. It stated he had books about “terrorism and concern and manifestos” however when he was requested whether or not he had points with individuals at work, he stated no. The memo notes that the gunman had a “minor legal historical past,” citing a 1983 arrest in San Jose and expenses of “misdemeanor obstruction/resisting a peace officer.”His ex-wife stated he had talked about killing individuals at work greater than a decade in the past.”I by no means believed him, and it by no means occurred. Till now,” a tearful Cecilia Nelms instructed the AP on Wednesday.She stated he used to come back residence from work resentful and indignant over what he perceived as unfair assignments.”He might dwell on issues,” she stated. The 2 have been married for about 10 years till a 2005 divorce submitting, and she or he had not been in contact with him for about 13 years, Nelms stated.Sheriff’s officers stated the three 9 mm handguns the gunman delivered to the rail yard seem like authorized. Authorities don’t but understand how he obtained them.He additionally had 32 high-capacity magazines, some with 12 rounds. In California, it’s unlawful to purchase magazines that maintain greater than 10 rounds. Nonetheless, if he obtained them earlier than Jan. 1, 2000, he would have been allowed to have them until he was in any other case prohibited from possessing firearms.The sheriff stated authorities discovered explosives on the gunman’s residence, the place investigators imagine he had set a timer or slow-burn gadget so {that a} hearth would happen similtaneously the capturing. Flames have been reported minutes after the primary 911 calls got here in from the rail facility.The assault was the fifteenth mass killing within the U.S. this yr, all shootings that claimed not less than 4 lives every for a complete of 87 deaths, in keeping with a database compiled by The Related Press, USA As we speak and Northeastern College.President Joe Biden urged Congress to behave on laws to curb gun violence, saying, “Each life that’s taken by a bullet pierces the soul of our nation. We are able to, and we should, do extra.”Video above: Neighbors describe interactions with suspected San Jose shooter, hearth at homeSeveral long-time staff have been killed, a lot of whom labored collectively. “No matter occurred yesterday, it reveals the character of those guys, how they tried to save lots of others whereas going by that chaotic scenario,” gentle rail superintendent Naunihal Singh stated.The victims have been Alex Ward Fritch, 49; Paul Delacruz Megia, 42; Taptejdeep Singh, 36; Adrian Balleza, 29; Jose Dejesus Hernandez, 35; Timothy Michael Romo, 49; Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40; Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63; and Lars Kepler Lane, 63. Household and mates remembered Taptejdeep Singh as a hero. He known as one other transit worker to warn him concerning the gunman, saying he wanted to get out or disguise.”He instructed me he was with Paul, one other sufferer, on the time,” co-worker Sukhvir Singh, who will not be associated to Taptejdeep Singh, stated in a press release. “From what I’ve heard, he spent the final moments of his life ensuring that others — within the constructing and elsewhere — would be capable of keep secure.”Karman Singh stated Thursday that his older brother had “a lion’s coronary heart.” At a night vigil that drew 1,000 individuals to Metropolis Corridor, Singh stated his brother “died combating for others, and attempting to save lots of his group, his VTA group.”Annette Romo, spouse of Timothy Romo, instructed the gang: “I solely have just a few phrases to say: By no means depart residence with out giving your beloved a kiss goodbye. As a result of that was the final I acquired.”___Har reported from San Francisco, Dazio from Los Angeles and Lengthy from Washington. Related Press journalists Jocelyn Gecker and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco, Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz and John Antczak in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
A gunman who killed 9 individuals at a California rail yard the place he labored appeared to focus on a few of the victims, a sheriff instructed The Related Press on Thursday, whereas a Biden administration official stated the shooter spoke of hating his office when customs officers detained him after a 2016 journey to the Philippines.
Samuel Cassidy, 57, arrived on the gentle rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority in San Jose round 6 a.m. Wednesday with a duffel bag stuffed with semi-automatic handguns and high-capacity magazines, Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith stated.
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“It seems to us at this level that he stated to one of many individuals there: ‘I am not going to shoot you,'” Smith stated. “After which he shot different individuals. So I think about there was some form of thought on who he needed to shoot.”
Whereas there aren’t any cameras contained in the rail yard’s two buildings, Smith stated footage captured him shifting from one location to the subsequent. It took deputies six minutes from the primary 911 calls to search out the gunman on the third flooring of one of many buildings, Smith stated.
The gunman, who fired a complete of 39 bullets, killed himself as deputies closed in on the power serving the county of greater than 1 million individuals within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley. Greater than 100 individuals have been there on the time, and authorities discovered 5 victims in a single constructing and two in one other, Smith stated.
Kirk Bertolet, 64, was simply beginning his shift when pictures rang out. He stated Thursday that the gunman labored frequently with the victims. He known as them “a superb bunch of blue-collar individuals” however stated he caught out as a loner and outsider.
“I do know a few of these guys, they’re going to maintain joking with you and so they’ll maintain hammering you about stuff. And if you happen to’re thin-skinned and you may’t take it … I see that’s the essential reason for what is going on on,” Bertolet stated.
Sheriff’s officers described the gunman as “a extremely disgruntled VTA worker for a few years,” saying which will have contributed to him focusing on the employees. Paperwork present he had labored on the transit authority since not less than 2012.
The County of Santa Clara’s Workplace of the Medical Examiner-Coroner has recognized all 9 victims beneath:
- 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
- Alex Ward Fritch, 49
Bertolet, a sign upkeep employee who labored in a separate unit from the gunman, stated he’s satisfied the gunman focused his victims as a result of he did not damage individuals he encountered on the way in which to the second constructing, the place extra pictures have been fired.
“Sam made positive he killed all who he needed. He made positive they have been lifeless,” Bertolet stated. “I watched a few of my coworkers breathe their final breaths, and so they have been all gone. Seven of them have been simply gone.”
After being detained by customs officers in 2016, he was discovered to have a memo e book with notes on how he hated the Valley Transportation Authority, in keeping with a Biden administration official who described a Division of Homeland Safety memo laying out his statements. The official noticed the memo and detailed its contents to the AP however was not approved to talk publicly concerning the ongoing investigation.
The Wall Avenue Journal first reported the memo.
It does not say why he was stopped by customs officers. It stated he had books about “terrorism and concern and manifestos” however when he was requested whether or not he had points with individuals at work, he stated no. The memo notes that the gunman had a “minor legal historical past,” citing a 1983 arrest in San Jose and expenses of “misdemeanor obstruction/resisting a peace officer.”
His ex-wife stated he had talked about killing individuals at work greater than a decade in the past.
“I by no means believed him, and it by no means occurred. Till now,” a tearful Cecilia Nelms instructed the AP on Wednesday.
She stated he used to come back residence from work resentful and indignant over what he perceived as unfair assignments.
“He might dwell on issues,” she stated. The 2 have been married for about 10 years till a 2005 divorce submitting, and she or he had not been in contact with him for about 13 years, Nelms stated.
Sheriff’s officers stated the three 9 mm handguns the gunman delivered to the rail yard seem like authorized. Authorities don’t but understand how he obtained them.
He additionally had 32 high-capacity magazines, some with 12 rounds. In California, it’s unlawful to purchase magazines that maintain greater than 10 rounds. Nonetheless, if he obtained them earlier than Jan. 1, 2000, he would have been allowed to have them until he was in any other case prohibited from possessing firearms.
The sheriff stated authorities discovered explosives on the gunman’s residence, the place investigators imagine he had set a timer or slow-burn gadget so {that a} hearth would happen similtaneously the capturing. Flames have been reported minutes after the primary 911 calls got here in from the rail facility.
The assault was the fifteenth mass killing within the U.S. this yr, all shootings that claimed not less than 4 lives every for a complete of 87 deaths, in keeping with a database compiled by The Related Press, USA As we speak and Northeastern College.
President Joe Biden urged Congress to behave on laws to curb gun violence, saying, “Each life that’s taken by a bullet pierces the soul of our nation. We are able to, and we should, do extra.”
Video above: Neighbors describe interactions with suspected San Jose shooter, hearth at residence
A number of long-time staff have been killed, a lot of whom labored collectively.
“No matter occurred yesterday, it reveals the character of those guys, how they tried to save lots of others whereas going by that chaotic scenario,” gentle rail superintendent Naunihal Singh stated.
The victims have been Alex Ward Fritch, 49; Paul Delacruz Megia, 42; Taptejdeep Singh, 36; Adrian Balleza, 29; Jose Dejesus Hernandez, 35; Timothy Michael Romo, 49; Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40; Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63; and Lars Kepler Lane, 63.
Household and mates remembered Taptejdeep Singh as a hero. He known as one other transit worker to warn him concerning the gunman, saying he wanted to get out or disguise.
“He instructed me he was with Paul, one other sufferer, on the time,” co-worker Sukhvir Singh, who will not be associated to Taptejdeep Singh, stated in a press release. “From what I’ve heard, he spent the final moments of his life ensuring that others — within the constructing and elsewhere — would be capable of keep secure.”
Karman Singh stated Thursday that his older brother had “a lion’s coronary heart.”
At a night vigil that drew 1,000 individuals to Metropolis Corridor, Singh stated his brother “died combating for others, and attempting to save lots of his group, his VTA group.”
Annette Romo, spouse of Timothy Romo, instructed the gang: “I solely have just a few phrases to say: By no means depart residence with out giving your beloved a kiss goodbye. As a result of that was the final I acquired.”
___
Har reported from San Francisco, Dazio from Los Angeles and Lengthy from Washington. Related Press journalists Jocelyn Gecker and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco, Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz and John Antczak in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
