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A local Transportation Authority employee opened fire and killed at least eight of his co-workers at a train station near San Jose, California. Subsequently, he committed suicide. The authorities do not know the possible motives for the attack.
It is the latest outbreak of gun violence that has rocked the United States for years. This time, the scene of a new tragedy was the heart of Silicon Valley.
An employee of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) opened fire and killed eight of his colleagues and then took his own life according to law enforcement sources. The company offers buses, light rail and other transit services throughout Santa Clara County, the largest in the Bay Area.
Authorities have not yet referred to the possible motivations for the crime, while the local newspaper ‘San Jose Mercury News’ and other media have identified the suspect in the attack as Samuel Cassidy, 57, a maintenance worker.
The shooting took place in a section of the train yard where employees perform vehicle maintenance, at an agency headquarters near the city’s airport, according to Glenn Hendricks, chairman of the VTA board, at a conference of press.
“A horrible tragedy has occurred today and our thoughts and love are with the VTA family,” Hendricks said.
San Jose, a city of about one million people, is located in the center of Silicon Valley, a global technology hub and home to some of America’s largest high-tech companies.
The mayor of the city, Sam Liccardo, highlighted that the victims were exceptional workers and that they were crucial during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These are and were essential workers … These VTA employees helped us overcome this horrible pandemic. They showed up every day to operate light rail and buses to make sure people could get on with their lives amidst the challenge. of the pandemic. And they were taking risks with their own. He lives in doing it, “said the mayor.
They reported a fire at the home of the suspect in the shooting
Liccardo disclosed that authorities also responded to a fire at the suspect’s home, although no one was found inside.
“That is certainly the information I have, it is that there was a fire in the shooter’s house, no one was found inside the house, thank God (…) This is the worst nightmare of any mayor,” Liccardo told the local television.
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Several fire department, police and bomb squad vehicles were parked outside the suspect’s home, along a cul-de-sac in southeast San José, hours after the shooting.
An explosives detector robot was located on the street near the house while two technicians from the bomb squad entered the house. Also in attendance were fire investigators, FBI agents, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Administration of the president, Joe Biden, indicated that it is monitoring the situation. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
Mass gun violence has become increasingly common in a country with one of the highest gun possession rates in the world. President Joe Biden, who in April called such events an “epidemic and international embarrassment,” and Democrats have been trying for years to tighten control over gun ownership. But along the way they have encountered strong opposition from Republicans in Congress, as well as a broad lobby from the National Rifle Association to the Conservative party.
In an attempt to advance in this matter, Biden announced a month ago a tightening on the regulations of homemade guns, although he has recognized that there is still much to do in this matter.
With Reuters and AP
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source https://pledgetimes.com/usa-at-least-eight-people-died-during-a-shooting-in-silicon-valley/
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