'Families are hurting': San Jose struggles to move forward after VTA shooting massacre

ByCornell W. Barnard KGO logo
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Suspect's father apologizes to VTA shooting victims' families
San Jose is struggling to move forward in the wake of Wednesday's horrific mass shooting at the VTA rail yard, where nine employees were shot and killed by their own co-worker.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A South Bay community is still struggling to move forward in the wake of Wednesday's horrific mass shooting at the VTA rail yard, where nine employees were shot and killed by their own co-worker.

Silvia brought flowers and her own silent prayers to the growing memorial outside San Jose City Hall, for the transit workers whose lives were cut short by a gunman.

"This is our town and we have to support each other, these families are hurting now," she said.

Chaplains from Billy Graham Ministries were there, offering support.

"We want to enter into a person's life who's been impacted, we're here for with spiritual support for them," said chaplain Steve Ballinger.

The home of suspected gunman, Samual Cassidy is now boarded up.

On Friday, police detonated what has initially thought to be a suspicious device found at Cassidy's home.

Investigators revealed the VTA gunman had an arsenal of weapons, it's evidence that remained even after the mass shooter simultaneously set his home on fire, while he shot and killed nine of his co-workers at the VTA rail yard Wednesday.

"There was a pot on the stove at the residence, the stove was turned on, inside the pot ammo, and accelerants," said Santa Clara County Sheriff's Detective Sergeant Joseph Piazza.

Investigators uncovered an estimated 25,000 rounds of ammunition, a dozen guns and 17 Molotov cocktails. They say Cassidy's guns weren't locked away, rather stashed near different doorways, ready to use.

At the rail yard, eleven miles away, Cassidy first killed several co-workers in one building, then was seen on surveillance video, calmly walking over to a second building where he murdered several more.

Cassidy's father James told our media partners at the San Jose Mercury News, he apologizes to the victims' families for his son's unthinkable acts, saying: "I don't think anything I could say could ease their grief, I'm really, really very sorry."

Take a look at the latest stories and videos about the mass shooting at the VTA rail yard in San Jose.

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