Police Fatally Shoot Rotten Robbie Worker Who Went On Shooting Rampage
SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) -- A SWAT team of police officers shot and killed a heavily-armed man who went on a shooting rampage at a Santa Clara Rotten Robbie store, early Saturday morning, according to police.
The 55-year-old man, whose name was not released, was a resident of San Jose, police said.
He was an employee at Rotten Robbie's store in Cupertino, at 19030 Stevens Creek Blvd., where he set fire to a cashier's kiosk before going to the Santa Clara store, according to police.
When he arrived at the Santa Clara Rotten Robbie's, dispatchers were alerted by multiple 911 calls about a heavily-armed man indiscriminately shooting in the parking lot and inside the store.
Santa Clara police rolled out their armored swat vehicle as several officers converged on the gas station about a mile-and-a-half from Levi's Stadium.
"Officers arrived within minutes and could hear and see the suspect shooting inside the store. They confronted the lone suspect and shot him," according to a release from police.
Shattered windows and shards of glass littering the front entrance to the convenience store were evidence of the intense and chaotic gun battle that unfolded in the pre-dawn hours.
The suspect died at the scene. Although initial calls suggested that several victims were down, thankfully, no one else was hurt, police said.
Police aren't sure if it was a robbery gone awry, or if the gunman was targeting someone inside the store.
The arson at the Cupertino store is being investigated by the Santa Clara County Fire Department.
A joint investigation into the shooting is being conducted involving the District Attorney's Office.
Santa Clara police say the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
"We had several officers respond so we likely had several officers fire their weapons. But [the investigation] is still under investigation," Santa Clara PD Capt. Wahid Kazem told KPIX 5.
Police emphasize there is no ongoing threat to public -- a relief for thousands of football fans in town for Monday's college football championship game at nearby Levi's Stadium.
"We are more than adequately prepared to handle all of the events this weekend," said Kazem, "and that includes the security and preparations for game day."
"Obviously, it breaks my heart that someone lost their life but I believe the college football organization and local police are very committed to security," football fan Mark Howell said.
Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact Sergeant Alex Torke at (408) 615-4806.
© 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. KPIX 5's Devin Fehely and Bay City News contributed to this report. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
