BREAKING: Active shooter at YouTube headquarters in California

San Bruno police have confirmed there is an active shooter and have warned the public to avoid the area.

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Alexandra Jacobo
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Police named Nasim Aghdam, 39, responsible for the shooting that took place at YouTube’s headquarters in San Bruno, California – near San Francisco – yesterday.

According to Ed Barberini, San Bruno Police Chief, Aghdam opened fire with a handgun in an outdoor patio and dining area of YouTube around lunchtime. Police arrived to a “chaotic scene” around 12:48 pacific time where people were fleeing.

Police said officers “encountered one victim with an apparent gunshot wound at the site and two additional gunshot victims that had fled to a neighboring business.” Police then found one women dead inside the complex from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the BBC reported.

Aghdam lived in San Diego, California and was a “vegan bodybuilder with a vast online presence,” the BBC reported. While few details are known about her, Aghdam is said to have run a series of channels on YouTube, along with her own website, where she posted various videos about animal cruelty, bodybuilding and veganism. She posted a video on YouTube in January 2017 that complained that the company was filtering her content and it lead to fewer viewers.

Local media in San Diego reported Aghdam’s father, Ismail, admitted his daughter was “angry because YouTube had stopped paying her for videos.”

Aghdam, who was reported missing on Monday after she didn’t respond to calls for two days and police found her sleeping in her car in Mountain View, California, which is about 15 miles from YouTube’s headquarters. The incident was reported to her family, but she wasn’t detained.

While an actual motive is still being investigated, Aghdam shot three people at YouTube – 36-year-old man, who is said to be in a critical condition, and two women aged 32 and 27 – before she shot herself dead.

Another person was wounded from trying to escape the shooting. All the victims were transported to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

YouTube, who is owned by Google, employs 1,700 people and is the “area’s biggest employer,” the BBC reported.

Chris Dale, a YouTube spokesman, said the company was very pleased with the police’s response to the incident.

“Today it feels like the entire community of YouTube and all of the employees were victims of this crime,” Dale said. “Our hearts go out to those who suffered in this particular attack.”

Reports of an active shooter at YouTube headquarters in California have been confirmed by the San Bruno Police Department.

Floods of reports came in as YouTube employees present in the building took to social media to tweet about the situation.

A police dispatcher told The Hollywood Reporter that it was “a very active scene” but would not give any further details.

There are currently “no known suspects or victims at this time”, according to Rosemerry Blankswade, San Mateo County Sheriff PIO.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, has headquarters in San Bruno, a suburb of San Francisco approximately 10 miles outside the city.

Employees began to tweet about the incident shortly after noon PST on Tuesday:

Todd Sherman, a project manager, also stated that he saw “blood drips on the floor and stairs.”

Employees at nearby businesses also tweeted about the incident.

A spokesperson from Google tweeted that officials “coordinating with authorities and will provide official information here from Google and YouTube as it becomes available.”

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Alexandra Jacobo
Alexandra Jacobo is a dedicated progressive writer, activist, and mother with a deep-rooted passion for social justice and political engagement. Her journey into political activism began in 2011 at Zuccotti Park, where she supported the Occupy movement by distributing blankets to occupiers, marking the start of her earnest commitment to progressive causes. Driven by a desire to educate and inspire, Alexandra focuses her writing on a range of progressive issues, aiming to foster positive change both domestically and internationally. Her work is characterized by a strong commitment to community empowerment and a belief in the power of informed public action. As a mother, Alexandra brings a unique and personal perspective to her activism, understanding the importance of shaping a better world for future generations. Her writing not only highlights the challenges we face but also champions the potential for collective action to create a more equitable and sustainable world.

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