4 people have been badly injured by a female shooter who shot and killed herself after going on a gun rampage at YouTube’s California headquarters.
The female shooter, dressed in a headscarf, shot at her boyfriend before turning the gun on herself on Tuesday, witnesses told Fox News. Officers and federal agents swarmed the company’s headquarters complex in the city of San Bruno just before 1 pm after dozens of panicked employees called 911 to report gunfire.
Upon arrival, police found the woman dead inside the campus with self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said four people were taken to hospitals in San Francisco with gunshot injuries.
A spokesman for San Francisco General Hospital says it received three patients. Spokesman Brent Andrew says a 36-year-old man was in critical condition, a 32-year-old woman was in serious condition and a 27-year-old woman was in fair condition.
The hospital was expecting more patients but Andrew did not know their conditions.
Northern California’s Stanford Hospital said it has received four to five patients, but a hospital spokeswoman did not have information on their conditions or their wounds.
Television news footage showed terrified employees leaving the building in a line, holding their arms in the air for police to inspect as they were leaving the building.
Officers patted down people to make sure none had weapons as police vehicles surrounded the area.
Some of the victims were taken to a Carl’s Jr restaurant, which is next to the property, immediately after being injured. It is not clear how serious their injuries are.
The police chief confirmed at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that the shooter was dead.
‘At 12.46pm this afternoon, we received numerous 911 calls regarding gunshots on YouTube’s campus. Police arrived at 12.48pm and immediately began a search for a possible shooter or shooters,’ he said.
‘Upon arrival, police encountered numerous employees fleeing. It was very chaotic.
‘Officers encountered one gunshot victim… several minutes later while searching the building officers located a second gunshot wound victim that may have been self-inflicted.
‘Two additional victims were located several minutes later at an adjacent business,’ a spokesman said.
The adjacent business was the Carl’s Jr on the same plaza where two women fled after being shot.
Disturbing live accounts were given by YouTube employees who took to Twitter as the shooting unfolded.
In a flurry of tweets, project manager Todd Sherman said: ‘We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake.
‘After existing (sic) the room we still didn’t know what was going on but more people were running. Seemed serious and not like a drill.
‘We headed towards the exit and then saw more people and someone said that there was a person with a gun. S**t.
‘At that point, every new person I saw was a potential shooter. Someone else said that the person 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,’ he said.
Employee Vadim Lavrusik was one of the first to report the shooting, tweeting at around 1 pm on Tuesday: ‘Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers.’
Soon after, he tweeted: ‘Safe. Got evacuated it. Outside now.’
