Multiple casualties reported in San Jose shooting

[Saint Frankenstein]

I am very disappointed the mass shooter's name has been publicized. I'd like the names of mass shooters to be censured in order to prevent them from gaining notoriety.

That will never happen, though.

 

[pearl]

I think it is Texas that just passed on open carry without license to carry, no surprise its Texas.

 

[McBell]

I meant all together over the entire course of semi-automatic firearms history since they were invented, semi-automatic firearms have killed more American civilians than the amount of Americans killed by C.O.V.I.D.-19 since the beginning of this pandemic.

Um..
Ok

So what?
The first semi-automatic appeared in 1885.
Lets see here, 2021 minus 1885 comes to 136...

So I am now confused...
Are you bringing attention to how COVID in about a year has killed as many American civilians (interesting how this detail changes each time you mention it) as the 136 year history of semi-automatic firearms?

I mean, we already know that COVID is much more deadly than semi-automatic firearms...
So what is the point?

 

[McBell]

Gun violence in the United States - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Gun_violence_in_the_...

About 1.4 million people have died from firearms in the U.S. between 1968 and 2011.

And your point of comparing it to COVID?

 

[McBell]

Please let us consider having a sensible gun control measure imposed against the private ownership of all semi-automatic firearms, some sort of federal legislation akin to the National Firearms Act of 1934 that effectively banned fully automatic firearms.

Ok, you start.

And no, complete ban on all semi-automatic firearms, is not "reasonable" no matter how many times you say it, regardless of the fonts and colors you use and most certainly regardless of the irrelevant comparisons you present.

 

[McBell]

I think it is Texas that just passed on open carry without license to carry, no surprise its Texas.

It has passed the state congress, the TX Gov. still has to sign it to become law.

 

[Twilight Hue]

More Americans have been killed by semi-auto firearms than the nearly 600,000 amount of Americans killed by C.O.V.I.D.-19, if civilians were effectively banned from having semi-auto firearms, then thousands of American lives would be saved from getting killed by semi-auto firearms each year.

I'd like to know ow where you got that information.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I think it is Texas that just passed on open carry without license to carry, no surprise its Texas.

Let's see how many mass shootings occur in Texas to compare where most of the mass shootings happen.

Might paint a better picture between least restricted states with the most restricted states.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Please let us consider having a sensible gun control measure imposed against the private ownership of all semi-automatic firearms, some sort of federal legislation akin to the National Firearms Act of 1934 that effectively banned fully automatic firearms.

Not unreasonable. I have hunted with both a bolt action and a semi-automatic rifle. It really made no difference for that. Hunting is definitely not a "Spray and pray" activity For self defense a revolver is still more than enough for almost every situation.

 

[pearl]

The one allowing most anybody to have semi-auto firearms.

Aside from the fact there is absolutely no reason for the ordinary person to have military style weapons, these find their way into the hands of the mentally unstable, physiologically imbalanced motivated by seeking revenge because they couldn't 'cut it'. We can't even get a law passed to at least take 'their' guns away.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Here we go again............what a farce.

The U.S. is at 232 mass shootings (4 or more killings at a time) before we have completed the fifth month of the year.

The only obvious solution is for everybody to have more guns -- to, you know, protect themselves.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

This being why I would like private ownership of all semi auto firearms banned. Per Wikipedia, Semi-automatic refers to a firearm which uses the force of recoil or gas to eject the empty case and load a fresh cartridge into the firing chamber for the next shot .

So, you don't really know what a semi auto gun is, do you?
I hate saying it, but this is a part of the reason the NRA and their supporters itching to shoot people and arm the population to the teeth. Because many strong pro-gun control advocates make it obvious they don't know much about guns. And then they get ran over in debate.
Semi auto is one of the broadest categories that can be named. It includes many rifles, handguns, and even some shotguns. But, even with a revolver, one bullet is all it takes (handguns and revolvers get used a lot in impulsive and heat of the moment shootings). They also get used often as backup guns in shootings. Guns like the AK45 and AR15 themselves are far more problematic than a semi auto rifle holding five or so .22 bullets that's used by hunters and farmers and not many others.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Aside from the fact there is absolutely no reason for the ordinary person to have military style weapons, these find their way into the hands of the mentally unstable, physiologically imbalanced motivated by seeking revenge because they couldn't 'cut it'. We can't even get a law passed to at least take 'their' guns away.

Stigmatizing the mentally ill as dangerous is not appreciated.
Typically people who shoot, and sometimes kill, another human are just as logical amd stable as the ordinary human. It's that being human part that is problematic. From accidents, mistakes, fear, emotional outbursts, when we look at gun related deaths as a whole the biggest part of it is ordinary, regular people. Yes, some specific mental illnesses may make someone more prone to outbursts of violence, but painting the mentally ill as a primary perpetrators of gun violence is utter nonsense, a myth painted outside of reality, and an unfortunate belief that is both detrimental for those with mental illness and the issue of gun violence.

 

[Suave]

Um..
Ok

So what?
The first semi-automatic appeared in 1885.
Lets see here, 2021 minus 1885 comes to 136...

So I am now confused...
Are you bringing attention to how COVID in about a year has killed as many American civilians (interesting how this detail changes each time you mention it) as the 136 year history of semi-automatic firearms?

I mean, we already know that COVID is much more deadly than semi-automatic firearms...
So what is the point?

I was trying to point out that death by semi-auto firearms have plagued our society with the cumulative death toll surpassing the body count of world's most deadly pandemic in over a century. I did not mean to point out that the death by semi-automatic firearms body count takes dozens of times longer to amount to 600,000 than the amount of time it took C.O.V.I.D.-19 to take away 600,000 lives.

 

[Suave]

So, you don't really know what a semi auto gun is, do you?
I hate saying it, but this is a part of the reason the NRA and their supporters itching to shoot people and arm the population to the teeth. Because many strong pro-gun control advocates make it obvious they don't know much about guns. And then they get ran over in debate.
Semi auto is one of the broadest categories that can be named. It includes many rifles, handguns, and even some shotguns. But, even with a revolver, one bullet is all it takes (handguns and revolvers get used a lot in impulsive and heat of the moment shootings). They also get used often as backup guns in shootings. Guns like the AK45 and AR15 themselves are far more problematic than a semi auto rifle holding five or so .22 bullets that's used by hunters and farmers and not many others.

I figured Wikipedia's definitions are universally accepted. I guessed wrongly.

 

[Stevicus]

Transit employees among 9 dead in shooting at San Jose rail yard (nbcnews.com)

9 dead and 1 critically wounded.

The shooter was identified as Samuel Cassidy, an employee of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), law enforcement sources said. He shot and killed himself at the scene, officials said.


At least eight people were killed, not including the shooter, and one person was critically wounded, sheriff's Deputy Russell Davis said.

The early morning attack came at a particularly busy time at the transit hub as overnight workers overlap with, and passed off their duties to, colleagues checking in for early-morning shifts.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said her deputies and San Jose police officers arrived quickly after the initial 911 calls.

“I know for sure that when the suspect knew that law enforcement was there, he took his own life," Smith said.

“The deputy sheriffs … the officers from San Jose PD ran into the building when shots were being fired and I know that it saved many lives.”

Citing an "active shooter," deputies told the public at 7:12 a.m. PT to steer clear of the neighborhood, about 50 miles south of downtown San Francisco.

It was also reported that about the same time the shooting started, the fire department was called out to a home about 10 miles away, which was the shooter's home.

"This is a horrific day for our city and it is a tragic day for the VTA family, and our heart pains for the families and the co-workers because we know so many are feeling deeply this loss of their loved ones and their friends," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said.

Even hours after the shooter died, a bomb squad was clearing the area in case he left explosives behind.

“We received information that there are explosive devices that are located inside the building,” Davis told reporters at the scene. “ We’re trying to clear out every room, every crevice of that building.”

The dead suspect is believed to be the only shooter involved, according to officials.

"Public safety is assured at this point," Davis said.

At about the same time gunfire erupted at the VTA yard, San Jose firefighters rushed to a home about 10 miles away that was engulfed by flames, officials said.

That home, near 1100 Angmar Ct., is the suspect's, law enforcement sources said. Investigators believe there was ammunition inside the home and firefighters smelled an accelerant when they arrived, sources said.

"We're trying to figure out, exactly, if there's a connection" between the fire and shooting, Davis said.

The Younger Avenue address is a light rail yard of the VTA, which provides bus, rail and various shuttle services to the booming Bay Area suburb and technology hub.

Davis called the shooting scene a VTA "control center" which is a "hub that stores multiple VTA trains and a maintenance yard as well."

The shooting happened "on the VTA light rail yard but it did not happen in the operations control center," VTA Board Chairman Glenn Hendricks said.

The shooter's ex-girlfriend said that she thinks he was not mentally stable.

The suspect was described as a "substation maintainer," law enforcement sources said. And state public employee records showed a VTA employee named Samuel Cassidy, with that same position, who made $114,426.17 in 2019 wages, the last data available.


An ex-girlfriend of Cassidy, who asked to remain anonymous, told NBC News she thinks he's "not mentally stable."

She and Cassidy dated for six months in 2008 after meeting on Match.com. He lived in San Jose and she lived in San Mateo. They saw each other about once a week, and after six months, Cassidy asked her to marry him despite the fact that he complained they weren’t having enough sex. She refused, and he didn’t take it well.

“He was so angry, yelling and screaming," she said. "And then he started making trouble for me.”

One day not long after the breakup, she said he stole her brand new car out of her driveway — a 2008 Toyota Camry, which he had the key for. She said she reported it to police, but nothing happened. He returned the car a month later, with a broken bumper and other damage.

In March 2009, he filed a restraining order against her, online court records show. The ex-girlfriend said he made up the claims. She went on to file a restraining order against him.

She said she was shocked, but not totally surprised, when she heard he was responsible for the shooting.

The scene of the shooting is at the center of regional law enforcement operations, as the rail yard is within a half-mile of the San Jose Police Department, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney headquarters.

The VTA yard is also about 35 miles north of Gilroy, where three people were killed in a shooting at a garlic festival less than two years ago.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom lamented the "rinse and repeat" nature of American gun violence.

“There’s a numbness ... there’s a sameness to this," he told reporters at the scene in San Jose on Wednesday.

"Anywhere, USA. It feels like this happens over and over and over again. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat."

The shooting comes amid a yearlong rise in nationwide gun violence and record firearm sales.

President Joe Biden urged Congress to take immediate action on the issue of gun control, saying that the current violence is "enough" following the shooting Wednesday.

"There are at least eight families who will never be whole again,” Biden said in the statement. “There are children, parents, and spouses who are waiting to hear whether someone they love is ever going to come home. There are union brothers and sisters — good, honest, hardworking people — who are mourning their own.”

White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the federal government is keeping in close contact with law enforcement in San Jose.

"We will continue to stay in close contact with them and offer any assistance as needed," she said. "We still don't know all of the details ... but what's clear, as the president has said, is that we are suffering from an epidemic of gun violence in this country, both in mass shootings and in the lives that are being taken in daily gun violence that doesn't make national headlines."

 

[Suave]

So, you don't really know what a semi auto gun is, do you?
I hate saying it, but this is a part of the reason the NRA and their supporters itching to shoot people and arm the population to the teeth. Because many strong pro-gun control advocates make it obvious they don't know much about guns. And then they get ran over in debate.
Semi auto is one of the broadest categories that can be named. It includes many rifles, handguns, and even some shotguns. But, even with a revolver, one bullet is all it takes (handguns and revolvers get used a lot in impulsive and heat of the moment shootings). They also get used often as backup guns in shootings. Guns like the AK45 and AR15 themselves are far more problematic than a semi auto rifle holding five or so .22 bullets that's used by hunters and farmers and not many others.

Semi-auto firearms are involved in almost every mass shooting , a mass shooting defined as 4 or more persons having been shot within close proximity of the same mass shooter

 

[Suave]

Ok, you start.

And no, complete ban on all semi-automatic firearms, is not "reasonable" no matter how many times you say it, regardless of the fonts and colors you use and most certainly regardless of the irrelevant comparisons you present.

Fine then, I will sell my 9mm semi auto S&W pistol to Chicago PD in exchange for a hundred dollar prepaid Visa card. I have not fired that weapon for over 10 years, I don't need to have a semi-auto firearm anyways, unless I were wanting to go on some sort of shooting rampage. Me being armed with a small revolver would just as well defend myself against a would-be armed attacker than how well me being armed with a semi auto firearm could defend myself against a would-be armed attacker.

 

[Stevicus]

Sounds like one of those mass shootings that is actually a spectacle suicide.

That's pretty much what it looks like, and clearly a disgruntled employee. And at every place I've worked, there's always been a few disgruntled employees or ex-employees. So, it could conceivably happen anywhere, at any place of work.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Semi-auto firearms are involved in almost every mass shooting , a mass shooting defined as 4 or more persons having been shot within close proximity of the same mass shooter

Thats coming from a talking point, not overall stats. Like, how mass shootings are hardly the only problems with guns here, and trying to hyper focus on semi auto guns is a very poor argument because there is a world's difference between a Ruger 10/22 carbine and an AK-47. One used for target shooting amd small game hunting. The other, semi auto or full auto, is a gun designed for war. One will be something some farmers have. The other was used in the North Hollywood Shootout.