Mass shootings have become too familiar in the United States. On Wednesday, another deadly shooting occurred in San Jose, California, at a rail yard. At least eight people were killed, and this total could rise to nine because one person is in critical condition.
The gunman, who died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, was identified as Samuel Cassidy. Reports indicated that Cassidy, who is 57 years of age, was a smog repair technician licensed with the Bureau of Automotive Repair since 2003.
Details of the Mass Shooting
The motive for the Mass shooting is currently unclear. It will be tougher to determine because Cassidy took his life after murdering eight people on Wednesday. Police spokesman Russell Davis said;
“This is still a fluid and ongoing incident. We’re trying to figure out what exactly happened.”
At the time of the shooting, San Jose firefighters responded to a call claiming a large fire at an address connected to Cassidy. It’s believed that Cassidy started the fire on his property on his way to work to create commotion with first responders.
However, the fire department is yet to determine a connection between the fire and the Mass shooting. Several 911 calls started to be placed around 6:30 am local time, right as officers were changing shifts, making things difficult for police.
Officers acted as quickly as possible to get to the scene at the VTA rail facility. This specific location stores trains and is used for maintenance. There were gunshots still being sprayed on the scene when officers arrived to combat the gunman.
Officers found victims in two of the buildings on the property, and it was known that the gunman was still alive. However, fire quickly ceased as more authorities showed up at the VTA rail facility.
When Cassidy heard the sirens on-site, he took his own life. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. The shooter heavily planned this attack. Bomb dogs discovered explosives on the scene that Cassidy planted.
A bomb squad went room to room to dismantle the explosives following the cease-fire. More details are continuing to be revealed as the investigation continues. Police are still trying to piece together the reasons for this horrific incident.
According to the Associated Press, there have been 16 workplace shootings since 2004, including the latest in San Jose.
The Victims of the Mass Murder
On Wednesday night, the victims were revealed to the public by the Santa Clara County medical examiner: 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.
Flags were flying at half-staff on Wednesday night, and there is a vigil on Thursday at 6:00 pm for the victims. California Governor Gavin Newsome spoke after the shooting to address the state.
He said;
“It begs the damn question: What the hell is going on in the United States of America? We rinse and repeat someplace else in this country.”
There have been 15 mass murders in 2021. Something needs to be done to fix the treachery of violence in the country.
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