Shooting at YouTube in California wounds at least three, female suspect dead

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (Reuters) - A woman opened fire at YouTube’s headquarters near San Francisco on Tuesday, sending employees scrambling into the street and at least three victims to local hospitals before taking her own life, police said.

Police did not release any further information on the suspect or speculate on her motives for the shooting at the offices of YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc’s Google.

“We did locate a victim with what we believe to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It’s a female,” San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said at a news conference, describing the person police believe was the shooter.

One of the victims, a 36-year-old man, was listed in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital. A 32-year-old woman was listed in serious condition and a 27-year-old woman in fair condition. Authorities did not release names of any of the victims.

A YouTube product manager, Todd Sherman, described on Twitter hearing people running, first thinking it was an earthquake before he was told that a person had a gun.

“At that point every new person I saw was a potential shooter. Someone else said that the person shot out the back doors and then shot themselves,” Sherman said on Twitter.

“I looked down and saw blood drips on the floor and stairs. Peaked around for threats and then we headed downstairs and out the front,” Sherman said.

Google told NBC news in a statement that it was coordinating with local authorities.

“Customers said they heard what could have been gunshots when they were on their way here,” Natalie Mangiante, an employee at Big Mouth Burgers located near the YouTube building, said by phone. Mangiante said she did not see or notice anything.

Local television images showed YouTube employees walking out of the building with their hands raised.

Last month, YouTube announced it would ban content promoting the sale of guns and gun accessories as well as videos that teach how to make guns.