I was waiting to see if this escalated before I posted it. It appears we have a hostage situation at a Veterans home in California and there have been shots fired:
BREAKING: California fire official says armed man has taken three hostages at veterans home; calls it `active shooter situation'
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 9, 2018
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.
— CalVet (@MyCalVet) March 9, 2018
We have activated our emergency response protocol and are cooperating with law enforcement.
BREAKING: Armed man takes 3 hostages at nation’s largest veterans home in #CA, @AP rpts; called `active shooter situation' after reports of gunfire; #Yountville Veteran's home has 1,000 veterans from #WWII to #OperationIraqi Freedom who live at the home, @CBSSF rpts.
— Mark Albert (@malbertnews) March 9, 2018
The Sheriff’s department issues this a few minutes ago:
NAPA CO SHERIFF: Police activity at the Veterans Home in Yountville. Please avoid the area. No action required. https://t.co/DAGVsOILnV
— County of Napa (@CountyofNapa) March 9, 2018
Here’s a livestream:
I’ll update you with more on this as soon as I get it…
UPDATE: Man wearing body armor with automatic weapons:
Napa County Fire captain Chase Beckman says a gunman has taken hostages at a veterans home in California.
Police closed access to the large veterans home in Yountville after a man with a gun was reported on the grounds.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Department issued an alert to residents at 10:30 a.m. Friday warning them to avoid the area because of “activity at the Veterans Home in Yountville.”
The Napa Valley Register reported that a man wearing body armor and armed with an automatic weapon entered the home.
The sheriff’s department did not immediately respond to a telephone call from The Associated Press.
The state Veterans Affairs department says it is the largest veterans’ home in the United States, with about 1,000 residents.
UPDATE: Swat Team enroute:
The CHP is aware of the incident at the Yountville Veterans Home and has officers and aerial resources on scene working with Napa County Sheriff’s deputies and others to bring the situation to a safe conclusion. A CHP SWAT team is also enroute. More details as info is available.
— CHP Headquarters (@CHP_HQ) March 9, 2018
SWAT teams on scene of #Yountville veterans home shooting. LIVE VIDEO: https://t.co/0qyCtycosx pic.twitter.com/xOp5G2BQSW
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: ATF enroute:
BREAKING: ATF San Francisco currently responding to an active shooter/hostage situation at the Veterans Home of California at Yountville. pic.twitter.com/Th2Kg7Alnq
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: A social media post from someone in the building:
Social media post from reported hostage situation in Yountville: "Hi, please pray. We have about 30 police here at the Vet’s home there is a shooter here. We’re in lockdown in the MSC building"
— scott budman (@scottbudman) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: There have been reports of many more gunshots than what we’ve been hearing…just fyi:
Police say that 15 to 20 shots were fired at the Yountville Veterans Center, where three people were taken hostage. https://t.co/PmEDdRErzO Video: @MarkIbanez2 pic.twitter.com/E5gCs0p7LN
— KTVU (@KTVU) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: FBI enroute…
#UPDATE: FBI is responding to the shooting and hostage situation in #Yountville
— KPIX 5 (@KPIXtv) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: Fire official says no injuries have been treated…
A fire official says no injured people have been treated at a Yountville, California veterans home where at least three people have been taken hostage.
— Rob Quirk (@KOAARobQuirk) March 9, 2018
But if it’s still a hostage situation, that might explain that.
UPDATE: Suspect reportedly member of Pathway Home PTSD treatment program…
#Breaking: #UPDATE Gunman at Veterans Home in #Yountville reportedly member of Pathway Home PTSD treatment program; holed up in Madison Building. Via: @NapaRegister
— Laura Garcia (@LauraGarciaNBC) March 9, 2018
Also local high school group in the building…
#Breaking: Local high school group were in #Yountville veterans home campus at Lincoln Theatre practicing for play - they are also on lock down but reportedly ok.
— Laura Garcia (@LauraGarciaNBC) March 9, 2018
UPDATE:
Witnessed these two people reuniting after active shooter situation in Yountville. Man appears to have fled building in a hurry with no time to grab his shoes. @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/3LG3uKmt0A
— Robbie Beasom NBC (@BeasomONE) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: Here’s more on how the gunman took hostages…
BREAKING: Husband of worker at largest US veterans home says gunman slipped into party, let some people leave, kept others hostage.
— AP West Region (@APWestRegion) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: Text messages from inside…
Man shares text from sister who is inside the #Yountville Veterans Home. She is a care giver. He hasn’t heard again from her for 45 minutes. pic.twitter.com/lRVhItP3o3
— Jodi Hernandez (@JodiHernandezTV) March 9, 2018
UPDATE:
Via the livestream: State Senator Dodd says the gunman was asked to leave the PTSD program earlier this week for apparently failing to follow their strict rules, and the three people he’s holding hostage are staff members of the program: A clinical worker, psychiatrist, and maybe the executive director – that’s what I’m hearing.
Breaking: Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) says the gunman at the #Yountville Veterans Home has taken 3 staff member hostage: A clinical worker, a psychiatrist and a executive director.
— Laura Garcia (@LauraGarciaNBC) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: Kamala Harris is saying Congress needs to act or something:
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris on #Yountville Veteran Home active shooting scene: "We've seen the worst tragedies I don;t know what more it will take to make Congress act. "
— Laura Garcia (@LauraGarciaNBC) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: Students are able to get out safely. I think there were around 60 of them at the Veterans center all day:
#UPDATE – Students from Justin-Siena High were at the Lincoln Theater rehearsing for a play on the Veterans Home campus in #Yountville when hostage situation started. They are now able to get out safe. @CBSSF
— Neda Iranpour (@NedaNews) March 9, 2018
UPDATE: Law enforcement reports that suspect has been confined to one room with the three hostages, surrounded by three tactical teams.
I believe law enforcement says they still haven’t made contact with the shooter. He does have a cell phone but he hasn’t answered it.
An officer was on scene within four minutes of the “shots fired” call this morning and engaged the suspect. Shots were exchanged (many bullets), however no injuries have been reported.
They do not know the status of the hostages…