SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority crews on Wednesday began demolition of a building at a light-rail yard in San Jose where last year a disgruntled VTA employee fatally shot several of his co-workers before killing himself.
Building B at the Guadalupe Light Rail yard is where six of the 10 VTA employees died in the mass shooting last year. The demolition process began Wednesday afternoon with the work expected to continue Thursday.
The building, where VTA’s Way Power and Signal teams worked prior to the shooting, has been vacant since then. The employees, who maintain the trackway infrastructure, have worked out of other locations, according to the transit agency.
The building was where 57-year-old Samuel James Cassidy began his murder spree on the morning of May 26th of 2021. Cassidy shot and killed 9 of his coworkers before turning the gun on himself as Sheriff’s deputies and police closed in on him.
The victims, who ranged in age from 29 to 63 years old, were all VTA employees.
Survivors said Cassidy picked and chose his victims, letting some walk free, and shooting down others.
Six of them died inside building B, three others were killed nearby in Building A, which is still operational as a control center and maintenance building.
The decision to demolish building B came after months of anguish for the shooting’s survivors. One man who witnessed the horrific scene committed suicide after returning to work at the rail yard last August.
Agency officials said in a news release that demolishing Building B “will allow VTA to move forward with planning long-term solutions for the yard with a building that meets the maintenance and operation needs of VTA, while supporting the emotional needs of employees who experienced the tragedy that occurred at the light rail facility.”
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