Families of 8 VTA mass shooting victims reach settlement with transit agency
SAN JOSE – Families of eight Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employees who were killed in a 2021 mass shooting announced the settlement of legal claims against the transit agency.
According to a joint statement with the VTA, the families of Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, Adrian Balleza, Alex Ward Fritch, Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, Paul Delacruz Megia, Timothy Michael Romo, Michael Joseph Rudometkin, and Taptejdeep Singh have settled with the agency and have agreed to withdraw their lawsuits.
The family of the ninth shooting victim, Lars Kelpler Lane, has not reached a settlement, the agency said.
"While nothing will bring back the tragic loss of life, we wanted to move swiftly to meet the families' needs," VTA Board Chair Charles "Chappie" Jones said.
On the morning of May 26, 2021, a disgruntled VTA employee shot and killed the nine victims at the Guadalupe light rail yard in San Jose. The employee turned the gun on himself as deputies closed in.
Exactly a year later, victims' families filed wrongful death lawsuits against the agency.
"We commend VTA for agreeing to provide a prompt resolution for our families as to their claims against VTA," the families' attorneys said Thursday.
As part of the settlement, families will receive monetary compensation in addition to workers' compensation benefits, alternative pre-retirement death benefits, pension benefit enhancements, health insurance and other funds VTA has committed to pay.