Authorities in the US state of California say eight people have been killed and several others injured after a gunman opened fire at a train yard in San Jose, the latest in a recent uptick of mass shootings across the United States.
The shooting took place early on Wednesday morning at a light rail facility operated by the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), a major transit service located next door to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials said the alleged attacker, confirmed to be a VTA employee, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“When our deputies went through the door, initially he was still firing rounds. When our deputy saw him, he took his life,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith told reporters.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sheriff’s Deputy Russell Davis confirmed that at least eight people had been killed, while multiple victims were being treated for “major injuries”. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
The deadly attack, which drew messages of concern and condemnation from US lawmakers, is the latest of several recent mass shootings in various parts of the country.
“It feels like this happens over and over and over again, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said. “It begs the damn question: What the hell’s going on in the United States of America? What the hell’s wrong with us?”
Multiple local news outlets identified the alleged shooter as 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy, who was a technician at the light rail yard. Authorities have not yet confirmed the shooter’s name and have yet to offer information on a possible motive.
Cassidy had worked for the transit authority since at least 2012, when he was listed as an “electro-mechanic”, and he was promoted to “substation maintainer” in 2015, according to records posted by the nonprofit website Transportation California.
Al Jazeera’s Rob Reynolds, reporting from San Jose, said the bomb squad “is going very meticulously over the entire scene” where the shooting took place and is expected to work through the night, after police received information about possible explosive devices.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said he was aware of news reports of a fire at Cassidy’s house earlier in the day.
