The Valley Transportation Agency’s light rail service was shut down Wednesday afternoon in the wake of a mass shooting at a facility in San Jose.
Nine people including the shooter have died. Several of the victims and the shooter were VTA employees.
"A horrible tragedy has happened today," said Glenn Hendricks, chair of the VTA board, who was visibly shaken as he spoke publicly.
He said to VTA employees: "We're so sorry that this happened. We are there for you."
The shooting happened on a part of the VTA’s large light rail yard complex at 101 W. Younger Ave. although Hendricks said it did not happen inside of the control center. There are some reports that the shooting erupted during a union meeting, although none of the circumstances around the shooting have been confirmed by local authorities.
Jim Egan does IT for the VTA and works in a nearby building. He and other employees first received alerts of an emergency and were ordered to stay inside the building, before the details of the tragedy began to emerge.
"Pretty shocking, I guess. It’s just, it’s a crazy world. There’s so many of them, it’s just kinda shocking. You just have to live your life. I guess you never expect it."
Trains had already left the facility before the shooting began and service was still up and running after the shooting on Wednesday morning.
"I could not be more proud of the VTA organization," said Hendricks. "As I drove here I saw VTA buses on the road."
Service was shut down after 12 p.m. and replaced with buses as the VTA continues to mourns the tragedy, and the agency and county officials are providing grief counseling to employees.
Hendricks says service will likely be suspended for several days.
Employees who evacuated from the facility are being reunited with their loved ones at the nearby County Building at 70 Hedding St.
The day started out as an upbeat one for the agency, as social distancing rules were relaxed Wednesday allowing buses and trains to carry more passengers. The agency was also preparing for a major rail project at the facility that was set to begin construction on Thursday.
County officials have ordered flags at county buildings to be lowered to half mast.