-  Courtesy VTA

Courtesy VTA

Nine people were killed, with the gunman dying by suicide, in a shooting rampage Wednesday at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail hub in San Jose, Calif.

The names of the victims reported by the VTA Wednesday evening were  ​​​​​Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, Adrian Balleza, Alex Ward Fritch, Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, Lars Kepler Lane, Michael Joseph Rudometkin, Paul Delacruz Megia, Taptejdeep Singh, and Timothy Michael Romo.

“We do not have the words to express the weight of this moment,” said the VTA in a statement. “We are grateful to our community for their love and support as we mourn the loss of nine victims of the horrific event of Wednesday, May 26, 2021.”

According to multiple reports, authorities confirmed the identity of the gunman as a 57-year-old VTA employee.

Authorities were first notified about the shooting around 6:30 a.m., when the gunman opened fire at the light rail facility, which is near the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. About 75 to 80 people were at the facility at the time of the shooting

A bomb-sniffing dog detected possible explosives at the site, which complicated the investigation. As a result, authorities spent the entire day combing through the VTA facility to ensure that no explosive devices were on the premises.

Transit agencies from around the nation shared their best wishes with VTA in the wake of the shooting.

A vigil is being planned for May 27 at 6 p.m. at San Jose City Hall Plaza at 200 East Santa Clara Street.

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