UPS employees have been sheltering in place since about 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, as a man with "what is believed to be a rifle" was menacing a San Jose neighborhood and is now barricaded in an RV.
There is obviously no good time or place for the possibility of an active shooter situation, but four days before Christmas at a UPS customer center is especially bad. Yet that is the situation unfolding right now in San Jose, as the Chronicle reports that San Jose police say a man brandishing “what is believed to be a rifle" started threatening customers at the UPS center shortly after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, and has now barricaded himself in an RV while police attempt to negotiate a peaceful end to all this.
Units are currently at the scene of a barricade incident in the 2000 block of S 7th St.
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) December 21, 2021
A male brandished what is believed to be a rifle at several people near the UPS customer center.
The male has barricaded himself in an RV.
TOC 7:40 AM pic.twitter.com/SZnlVqhnaM
According to KTVU, the situation is unfolding at the San Jose UPS customer center in the 2000 block of South Seventh Street. Thus far no one has been harmed, and no shots have been fired. But UPS employees and customers have been sheltering in place since police were called at 7:40 a.m. Obviously, the late May San Jose VTA mass shooting is still fresh in people’s minds, so that's surely adding to the trauma.
3/ Tactical negotiators are on scene attempting to speak to the suspect. Updates here when available.
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) December 21, 2021
San Jose Police say “Tactical negotiators are on scene attempting to speak to the suspect” and that as of about 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, “A contingent of Special Operations Officers are responding to assist. We are working towards a peaceful surrender and conclusion to this incident.”
5/ Whichever media outlet has a helicopter over the scene, please orbit higher or clear. You are interfering with ground operations and our Officers are having a hard time hearing each other. Thank you.
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) December 21, 2021
Yet clearly police are none too happy with a news helicopter they feel is flying way too close to the scene. “Whichever media outlet has a helicopter over the scene, please orbit higher or clear,” they say in the above tweet. “You are interfering with ground operations and our Officers are having a hard time hearing each other.”
This is the situation as we know it now, and SFist will update this post with any developments or resolution.
Related: Standoff With Heavily Armed Man In Berkeley Ends Peacefully [SFist]
Image: Phil H. via Yelp