© Reuters. A person (prime L), recognized by police as Samuel Cassidy, a transit worker who gunned down 9 co-workers and killed himself, is seen strolling throughout a rail depot in San Jose, California, U.S., Might 26, 2021, on this nonetheless picture taken from CCTV footage. Val
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By Steve Gorman and Jonathan Allen
(Reuters) -The transit worker who fatally shot 9 colleagues at a rail yard in San Jose, California, was due that day to attend a office pre-disciplinary listening to on complaints he made racist remarks to his friends, native media reported on Friday.
Authorities say Samuel Cassidy, 57, was armed with three semi-automatic handguns when he opened fireplace simply after a morning union assembly on Wednesday on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail upkeep yard in San Jose.
Cassidy shot himself minutes later as police arriving on the scene closed in, based on the police account.
San Francisco Bay space NBC affiliate KNTV, citing unnamed legislation enforcement sources, reported that the “Skelly listening to” he confronted that day stemmed from a VTA investigation of complaints that he was making inappropriate racial remarks to colleagues whereas on the job as a station upkeep employee.
KNTV stated Cassidy reportedly had boasted to co-workers about having weapons and explosives, although the TV station stated it remained unclear whether or not these allegations have been on the agenda of the listening to or had been made recognized to authorities.
A Skelly listening to is a due course of convention employees going through disciplinary motion are entitled to below California labor legislation earlier than being terminated, demoted, suspended or going through a pay minimize. The listening to ensures an worker is knowledgeable of allegations and has a possibility to rebut or mitigate them.
Neither the VTA and nor the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Workplace instantly responded to requests for touch upon the KNTV report.
On Thursday, Sheriff Laurie Smith stated Cassidy had been “a extremely disgruntled VTA worker for a few years,” which can have motivated his assault, the most recent of not less than 9 U.S. mass shootings over the previous three months that every claimed 4 or extra lives.
Smith stated investigators have been nonetheless searching for to find out the exact motive for Cassidy’s violent outburst.
His ex-wife, Cecilia Nelms, informed native media he had ranted about co-workers and managers and would generally lash out at her.
The Wall Avenue Journal, citing a Division of Homeland Safety memo, reported that U.S. customs and border officers detained Cassidy in 2016 as he returned from the Philippines and located that he professed a hatred of his office.
On the time Cassidy had in his possession “books about terrorism and worry and manifestos … in addition to a black memo guide stuffed with a lot of notes about how he hates the VTA,” the Journal quoted the memo as stating.
In an on-camera interview with KNTV, Sheriff Smith stated the gunman fired an estimated 39 photographs. Makes an attempt to pin down a exact motive for the mass homicide have been hampered as a result of digital proof was destroyed in a fireplace at Cassidy’s home that he’s suspected of setting earlier than the taking pictures.
“There’s a excessive likelihood that we misplaced the power to do exploitation of units. The home was incinerated, the second flooring collapsed,” Craig Honest, particular agent answerable for the FBI’s area workplace in San Francisco, stated on KNTV.
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