This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Update 5/27, 10am: Authorities have identified the eight victims killed in yesterday’s mass shooting: 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; and Lars Kepler Lane, 63. The medical examiner also identified a ninth victim, Alex Ward Fritch, 49 who passed away at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center on Wednesday evening, according to reports. The gunman, who also died, has been identified as Samuel James Cassidy, 57, a maintenance worker who had been with the V.T.A. for at least a decade.
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Update 11:00am: Eight VTA employees have been killed in relation to this morning’s shooting, in addition to the suspect, who was confirmed as a VTA employee. Explosive devices have been discovered inside the building, and bomb squads are on scene, as well as officers from the FBI, the office of the District Attorney and the Department of Homeland Security. VTA employees and their families can call a dedicated information line at 408-321-7550. The investigation is active and ongoing. Police are actively investigating an earlier house fire on the 1100 block of Angmar Ct. reported to be the home of the shooter.
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Update 9:48am: Officials clarified the shooting took place in the yard, not at the operations control center. Light rail service will be suspended as of noon today; buses will be dispatched to backfill service. The deceased suspect was identified as male. “We are in a very dark moment, but I am heartened to see the VTA family coming together to support their coworkers,” Mayor Liccardo said. “I am grateful for the immediate response of law enforcement who were able to secure the scene and ensure there would be no more loss of life.”
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An early morning shooting at a San Jose Valley Transportation Authority control center has left several dead, including the suspect, according to multiple reports Wednesday.
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Russell Davis said employees of the Valley Transportation Authority are among the victims, but the extent of their injuries is not yet known.
The shooting took place at 6:34 a.m. Pacific at a VTA control center at 101 W. Younger Ave. which serves as a hub for trains and a maintenance yard, according to Davis.
The Isaac Newton Center in the County building at 70 West Hedding St. is serving as a reunification center for employees and their families, and grief counselors are available, according to reports. Family and friends can call 408-299-2311 for information about loved ones.
“Our hearts are pained for the families of those we have lost in this horrific shooting,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo in a tweet.