Franklin Graham requests prayers for the families of those killed in the tragic mass shooting in San Jose that occurred recently.

"Join me in praying for the families and loved ones of victims of the mass shooting today in San Jose," Franklin Graham wrote on Facebook. "We have deployed our Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains to be on site to pray with and minister to families, first responders and the community who are shocked and grieving."

Crisis-trained chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team will provide emotional and spiritual support. Residents will be able to digest the tragedy in a secure environment at the Mobile Ministry Center.

"Our hearts are broken for all of the families who lost loved ones," says Josh Holland, Assistant Director of the BG-RRT. "We want them to know that God still loves them and cares about them, even as they are in the midst of such great pain."

The team's most recent service was in a field hospital in Los Angeles, where they prayed with over 700 individuals.

Another mass shooting

Early Wednesday morning in California, a shooter opened fire at a light rail yard. Local officials have confirmed nine casualties, ranging in age from 29 to 63, including the gunman.

According to The Blaze, a transit worker opened fire on coworkers at a train yard in San Jose, California.
Samuel Cassidy, the lone suspect, is said to have committed suicide at the crime scene, as per the authorities' report.

Around 6:34 a.m. PT, shots were fired at 100 W. Younger Ave. in downtown San Jose, prompting a massive police deployment.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith says "shots were still being fired" when the police arrived NBC News reported.

"We attempted rescues. We have some very brave officers and deputies," she said to the reporters.

Hours after the killings, the bomb squad is still stationed at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority site, reports The Washington Post.

"We received information that there are explosive devices that are located inside the building. We're trying to clear out every room, every crevice of that building," deputy Russell Davis says of the bomb squad's presence.

Several VTA personnel were killed, and one survivor is in serious condition.

"We will do everything we can to help people get through this" said VTA Board of Directors chairperson Glenn Hendricks.

"These folks were heroes during COVID-19, the buses never stopped running, VTA didn't stop running," adds VTA board chair. "They just kept at work, and now we're really calling on them to be heroes a second time to survive such a terrible, terrible tragedy."

The VTA said the following died during the tragic incident:

  • Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63

  • Adrian Balleza, 29

  • Alex Ward Fritch, 49

  • Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, 35

  • Lars Kepler Lane, 63

  • Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40

  • Paul Delacruz Megia, 42

  • Taptejdeep Singh, 36

  • Timothy Michael Romo, 49   

The White House says it is keeping an eye on the situation and that their "hearts go out to the victims and their families."