San Jose Police cordon off W Younger Avenue while the investigation into a mass shooting at the VTA light rail facility is underway. Photo: Tarmo Hannula
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UPDATE 11am:

The suspect was identified by Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Russell Davis as a Valley Transportation Authority employee, who opened fire at the light rail yard in San Jose at the start of a union meeting.

Davis said nine people were killed, including the shooter.

He said the suspect reportedly set his house on fire prior to the shooting on Angmar Court in East San Jose.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad has been activated, Davis said, because multiple explosive devices are believed to be at the scene after investigators found one as they combed the facility.

VTA Board Chair Glenn Hendricks said light rail service will be suspended indefinitely beginning at noon, and will be replaced by bus service.

“It’s very difficult for the VTA family to wrap our heads around this,” he said. “It’s a very sad day for us.”

“This is a horrible day for San Jose and we’re doing everything we can to make sure this never happens again,” San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said.

The FBI has been called in to assist in the investigation.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A shooting at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority maintenance facility in San Jose on Wednesday morning has resulted in multiple casualties, authorities said. 

Around 6:30am, San Jose police responded to the VTA Guadalupe facility on West Younger Avenue on reports of an active shooter, police said. 

The shooting resulted in multiple casualties and the extent of injuries are still being determined, VTA spokesperson Brandi Childress said.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office tweeted at 8:08 a.m. that the “suspect is down,” and Childress later confirmed that the suspect died. 

The cause of the suspect’s death has not been made public yet. 

VTA employees have been evacuated from the Guadalupe maintenance yard and county sheriff’s deputies remain at the scene. 

Family reunification is taking place at the sheriff’s headquarters at 55 W. Younger Ave.

—Jana Kadah, Bay City News Foundation

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A staff member wrote, edited or posted this article, which may include information provided by one or more third parties.

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