Killer of eight in California had talked of workplace attacks
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Law enforcement officers respond to the scene of a shooting at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) facility on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, in San Jose, Calif. Santa Clara County sheriff s spokesman said the railyard shooting left multiple people, including the shooter, dead. (Noah Berger/AP)
SAN JOSE, Calif. An employee who gunned down eight people at a California rail yard and then killed himself as law enforcement rushed in had talked about killing people at work more than a decade ago, his ex-wife said.
“I never believed him, and it never happened. Until now,” a tearful Cecilia Nelms told The Associated Press on Wednesday following the 6:30 a.m. attack at a light rail facility for the Valley Transportation Authority.
The FBI has moved to detonate explosive devices found in the San Josegunman’s home.
Samuel Cassidy, 57, shot and killed nine people and then himself at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) railyard Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The FBI told KRON 4 that the home had other explosive devices, which they will detonate Friday. ( Doug Suh / usetmx)
San Jose police closed off Cassidy’s home following the incident as FBI and ATF agents worked to collect evidence.
Surveillance video showed Cassidy leaving his home Wednesday with a large duffel bag. Video also showed that his house caught fire 3 minutes after he started the shooting.
VTA Employee Says Shooter Made Sure He Shot, Killed Those Targeted
On 5/28/21 at 10:01 AM EDT
When Samuel James Cassidy opened fire Wednesday morning at his Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) workplace, killing nine people and himself, his victims appeared to be targeted, according to a witness.
VTA employee Kirk Bertolet, who saw the shootings and saw co-workers take their last breaths, said that Cassidy made sure his targets were dead. He was angry, and he took his vengeance out on very specific people. He shot people. He let others live, he said. It was very personal. Very targeted.
Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith concurred that Cassidy s victims seemed chosen, and that the gunman had told one or more people that he wasn t going to shoot them. Although Bertolet described a cordial personal dynamic with Cassidy, he also characterized the 57-year old as an outsider in the workplace who never spoke to his colleagues.
A disgruntled worker, a targeted attack and nine victims
Mourners attend a vigil Thursday for the nine victims of a shooting the day before at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard in San Jose.
(Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)
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As investigators dig deep into the motive behind this week’s mass shooting in San Jose, a picture has emerged of a targeted attack, a disgruntled and angry gunman and his nine victims.
Witnesses said it seemed like the start of any other day.
Workers at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority some leaving their shift and others just arriving milled about in hallways and meeting rooms about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.