Three people have been taken hostage after a gunman opened fire at a veterans home northeast of San Francisco, local officials say. The incident is ongoing but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
The incident began at about 10:20 a.m. PT on Friday when officers were called to reports of an active shooter near a dining hall at the facility, which is located in the town of Yountville in Napa County.
The suspect is said to be wearing body armor and is armed with a rifle.
The sheriff’s office said deputies were on the scene within four minutes and exchanged fire with the suspect. There were no immediate reports of injuries as a result of the shooting, but the incident was ongoing as of 2:30 p.m.
“The suspect has taken three hostages. Three different tactical teams have him confined to a single room,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “This is an ongoing and active dynamic situation. The public is asked to stay away. .. It is the hope of all law enforcement agencies that they can come up with safe conclusion.”
A large number of emergency services, including a SWAT team and hostage negotiators, have responded to the incident. Federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and ATF, have also responded to the scene in Yountville.
The motive of the suspect was not immediately known but several news reports said he was part of a program to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The veterans community was immediately put on lockdown as a result of the shooting and residents were told to shelter in place until further notice. The hostage situation is taking place on the second floor of Building G.
“Law enforcement is at the Yountville Veteran’s Home right now following reports of gunfire. The safety of our residents, workers and the community is our top priority,” the state’s veterans agency CalVet said in a statement. “We have activated our emergency response protocol and are cooperating with law enforcement.”
A hotline has been established for people who are worried about loved ones: 707-948-3331.
The Veterans Home of California-Yountville is a community for veterans in the heart of Napa Valley. Founded in 1884, it is the largest veterans’ home in the United States, offering services to roughly 1,000 aged or disabled veterans.
(Copyright 2017 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)
