Update 04/04/2018 9:47am: At 12:53pm police found the suspected shooter, a woman, identified as 39-year-old Nasim Aghdam, of San Diego, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In at least one of Aghdam’s videos, she claimed that YouTube was censoring her videos and placing filters on her content.
Update 03/04/2018 8:37pm: Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, issued a statement to employees worldwide about the shooting at YouTube headquarters:
Here is the note that @sundarpichai just sent to Googlers worldwide. pic.twitter.com/bdC6KeTl9c
— Google Communications (@Google_Comms) April 3, 2018
Reports of an active shooter at YouTube’s San Bruno, California headquarters emerged on Twitter this afternoon and were also subsequently confirmed by local authorities.
According to a police spokesperson that spoke with The Verge, three victims were taken to local hospitals. NBC and CNN have reported that law enforcement officials say the suspected shooter, a woman, died from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The San Francisco General Hospital stated at a news conference that victims include a 36-year-old male in critical condition, a 32-year-old woman in serious condition and a 27-year-old woman in fair condition. Approximately 1,700 people work in the building, according to ABC News.
Vadim Lavrusik, YouTube director of product, first reported the incident on the social media platform, stating that there’s an “active shooter at YouTube HQ” and that he “heard shots and saw people running.”
Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers.
— Vadim Lavrusik (@Lavrusik) April 3, 2018
Lavrusik later followed up his initial tweet stating that he’s safe and has been evacuated from YouTube’s headquarters.
Safe. Got evacuated it. Outside now.
— Vadim Lavrusik (@Lavrusik) April 3, 2018
In another Twitter thread, YouTube product manager Todd Sherman said that employees first thought there was an earthquake. People starting running out of meetings, but before making it to an exit, received word that there was an active shooter in the building, said Sherman on Twitter.
We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake. https://t.co/gmolQmRXm1
— Todd Sherman (@tdd) April 3, 2018
Local publication KRON4 has confirmed with the San Bruno’s City Manager that multiple 9-1-1 calls from YouTube’s HQ have been received. The San Bruno Police’s official Twitter account has also tweeted about the incident, advising citizens to “stay away” from the area.
Police activity at 901 Cherry Ave, please stay out of the area. pic.twitter.com/H6iAj0g7ra
— San Bruno Police (@SanBrunoPolice) April 3, 2018
Google’s official communications Twitter account said that it is “coordinating with authorities” in a recent Tweet.
Re: YouTube situation, we are coordinating with authorities and will provide official information here from Google and YouTube as it becomes available.
— Google Communications (@Google_Comms) April 3, 2018
Below is a collection of tweets from the scene:
Myself, and my entire team in San Bruno, are okay. Thank you for checking on all of us. If you believe in prayer, please keep our colleagues in mind.
— Ryan Wyatt (@Fwiz) April 3, 2018
Police activity at 901 Cherry Ave, please stay out of the area. pic.twitter.com/H6iAj0g7ra
— San Bruno Police (@SanBrunoPolice) April 3, 2018
We are seeing @YouTube employees being brought out with hands up! pic.twitter.com/ZlSMY9FIVm
— Erin (@erinjeanc) April 3, 2018
Snap video of police response nearby YouTube HQ in San Bruno after shooting reports pic.twitter.com/mPDhmLEcrx
— bryson (@Bryson_M) April 3, 2018
Reports have also emerged that a YouTube managers Twitter account was hacked during the shooting in an effort to spread false information, according to The Verge. BuzzFeed News has compiled a comprehensive list of current misinformation surrounding the shooting.
This story will be updated as more information is released.
Rose Behar contributed to this report.
Source: KRON4, ABC News, Recode, The Verge, BuzzFeed News
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