Gunwoman wounds three at YouTube's California offices, commits suicide

 

SAN BRUNO: A woman opened fire with a handgun at YouTube’s headquarters near San Francisco on Tuesday, wounding three people before shooting herself dead as employees of the Silicon Valley tech company fled into the surrounding streets, authorities said.

Police did not identify the suspect or say what might have motivated the shooting rampage at YouTube. However, MSNBC said investigators believe a woman in her 30s approached an outdoor patio and dining courtyard on the campus around lunchtime and began to fire before entering the building.

Senior law enforcement officials believe the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute, MSNBC and other media reported. A US government security official told Reuters there was no known connection to terrorism.

In a statement issued via Twitter, San Bruno Police Department said they "arrived on scene at 12:48pm, two minutes after the first call, and immediately began searching for a possible suspect.

"Officers encountered one victim with an apparent gunshot wound to a lower extremity at the front of the building.

In a press conference at 2:35 PM, Ed Barberini, the city police chief, informed reporters that they had received "numerous calls" at 12:46 PM, with "officers conducting a search [locating] a deceased female inside with a possible self-inflicted gunshot wound" at at 12:53 PM.

As police arrived at the "chaotic" scene of the crime, "numerous employees [were] leaving," Barberini said, adding that two victims with gunshots were recovered within minutes and tended to.

'Seven or eight shots being fired'

Subsequently, other "victims were located", and "a total of four people" were moved to a nearby hospital for "gunshot-related injuries", with their current status "unknown", he explained.

In a recording of a 911 call posted online by the Los Angeles Times, a dispatcher can be heard saying: “Shooter. Another party said they spotted someone with a gun. Suspect came from the back patio ... Again we have a report of a subject with a gun. They heard seven or eight shots being fired.”

The four patients taken to San Francisco General Hospital were all awake, Dr Andre Campbell — a trauma surgeon at the hospital — said at a news conference.

The three people were victims of gunshot wounds, Campbell said, but none of them had undergone surgery. A fourth person was taken to the hospital with an ankle injury from fleeing the scene.

One of the victims, a 36-year-old man, was listed in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital. A 32-year-old woman was listed in serious condition and a 27-year-old woman in fair condition.

Authorities did not release names of any of the victims.

'Self-inflicted gunshot wound'

The police official added that they also located one deceased person inside the building — a female — who had died of "self-inflicted gunshot wound(s)" but was yet to be confirmed as the suspect.

"At this time, we believe it to be the shooter."

Nevertheless, San Bruno Police are "still conducting a quick immediate search of the premises" after the buildings were "evacuated".

 

Female mass shooters are rare.

A recent Washington Post analysis shows only three out of 150 US shootings with more than four victims since 1966 were done by women. In 2015, a husband and wife killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California.

Further, the shooting was the latest in a string of mass killings carried out in the US in recent years.

Most recently, the massacre of 17 people at a Florida high school has led to calls for tighter restrictions on gun ownership.

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'Thoughts and prayers'

The White House said US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the situation.

Trump, himself, said on Twitter that he had been briefed on the shooting and sent "thoughts and prayers" to "everybody involved”.

“Thank you to our phenomenal Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders that are currently on the scene.”

In a letter to employees — posted on Twitter — Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said: “It’s with great sadness that I tell you - based on the latest information - four people were injured in this horrific act of violence."

“It’s with great sadness that I tell you—based on the latest information—four people were injured in this horrific act of violence,” Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said in a letter to employees that was posted on Twitter.

“I know a lot of you are in shock right now. Over the coming days, we will continue to provide support to help everyone in our Google family heal from this unimaginable tragedy,” he added.

In a separate tweet, Pichai said he and Wojcicki were “focused on supporting our employees & the @YouTube community through this difficult time together.”

While YouTube Chief Executive Susan Wojcicki had earlier declined to comment to reporters as she left the building, she later tweeted a message of support.

'Heal as a family'

"There are no words to describe how horrible it was to have an active shooter @YouTube today. Our deepest gratitude to law enforcement & first responders for their rapid response.

"Our hearts go out to all those injured & impacted today. We will come together to heal as a family," she wrote.

 

Google told NBC news in a statement that it was coordinating with local authorities.

“Customers said they heard what could have been gunshots when they were on their way here,” Natalie Mangiante, an employee at Big Mouth Burgers located near the YouTube building, said by phone.

Mangiante said she did not see or notice anything.

"We continue to actively coordinate with local authorities and hospitals," the Google's Communications Department wrote on Twitter.

"Our Security team has been working closely with authorities to evacuate the buildings and ensure the safety of employees in the area.

"We advised all other employees in the Bay Area, and people with meetings scheduled, to stay away from the area, and that there is no need to take any action."

YouTube's parent company said it has "provided employees a helpline".

Interestingly, YouTube had announced last month it would ban content promoting the sale of guns and gun accessories as well as videos that teach how to make guns.

#YouTubeShooting

Twitter user Erin, who goes by the handle @erinjeanc and witnessed the incident at YouTube's headquarters, wrote: "Still a lot happening here as The Forensic team has arrived #YouTubeShooting."

Earlier, authorities had warned people via Twitter to stay away from the address where YouTube — owned by Alphabet Inc’s Google — is based.

 

"901 Cherry Ave" in San Bruno, California, is the headquarters of YouTube, LLC.

Erin, the witness, had tweeted earlier: "Ambulances are in front of the building, sirens everywhere, police with rifles surrounding the building. They are bringing someone down out of the building #youtubeshooting".

She tweeted that "helicopters" and "tactical vehicle has arrived" and "more employees being brought out with hands over head".

'First thought was earthquake'

Vadim Lavrusik, the Product Manager for Live videos at YouTube, said he was "barricaded inside a room with coworkers".

"Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers," he wrote on Twitter.

15 minutes later, however, he successfully managed to get out.

“We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake,” Todd Sherman, a YouTube product manager, said on Twitter.

Sherman noted that someone in the building told him that the gunman "shot out the back doors and then shot themselves".

"I looked down and saw blood drips on the floor and stairs. Peaked around for threats and then we headed downstairs and out the front."

"In an Uber omw [on my way] home. Hope everyone is safe," he finally tweeted.

 

Local television images showed YouTube employees walking out of the building with their hands raised.

A police dispatcher said by telephone that it was an “active situation.”

Tech peers offer support

Heads and founders of various tech companies similar to YouTube sent messages of support as well as wishes and prayers to everyone who was hurt or traumatised by the events Tuesday night.

"I can’t imagine what our friends at YouTube are feeling and dealing with right now. We‘re here for you and your families and friends," Jack Dorsey, Twitter's co-founder and CEO, wrote.

He added that due to the sharing of a multitude of reports containing false information, his company was "tracking, learning, and taking action" and "working diligently on product solutions to help".

Apple CEO Tim Cook said: "From everyone at Apple, we send our sympathy and support to the team at YouTube and Google, especially the victims and their families."

"On behalf of all of Microsoft, our hearts are with everyone at YouTube and Google today and all those affected," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos called the day a "horrible and truly tragic" one.

"We are wishing all our very best for the injured and all those affected," he added.

"We've reached out to our friends at Google and YouTube to offer our support. Thinking of those impacted and sending our deepest sympathies," Spotify CEO wrote.