Tech leaders express horror over bloodshed at workplace
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Tuesday in a memo to his staff that the shooting at YouTube headquarters that left several injured was a “horrific act of violence.”
“There are no words to describe how horrible it was to have an active shooter (at) YouTube today,” YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki posted on Twitter. “Our deepest gratitude to law enforcement and first responders for their rapid response. Our hearts go out to all those injured and impacted today. We will come together to heal as a family.”
More than 1,700 people work at YouTube’s San Bruno offices. YouTube is a subsidiary of Mountain View’s Google, but operates with some independence.
Many leaders from tech companies, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, expressed concern and support for YouTube on social media on Tuesday.
“Thinking of everyone at YouTube and Google at this awful moment,” Sandberg wrote on her Facebook page.
“Horrible and truly tragic day for YouTube and Google,” Bezos tweeted. “We are wishing all the very best for the injured and all those affected.”
Pichai said the company’s security team and law enforcement evacuated employees from the buildings.
“I was like, ‘Is this real?’ ” said employee Tim Ashley, 29. He said he left his keys and wallet at his desk.
As employees waited outside the building, some said they received emails from YouTube managers telling them to “stay safe,” but the only information they got came from news reports.
Ashley said YouTube offered to pay for Uber and Lyft rides for employees to get home. Company shuttles also lined up to take employees to San Francisco.
President Trump weighed in on the shooting. “Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved,” Trump tweeted. He also thanked law enforcement officers and first responders on the scene.
Ted Kartzman, a YouTube staffer, responded to Trump that his “thoughts and prayers were not needed.”
“Do something about the proliferation of guns,” he added. “And don’t suggest arming software engineers.”
Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey responded to Trump’s tweet by linking to a March for Our Lives website that encouraged efforts like funding gun violence research and universal background checks.
“We can’t keep being reactive to this, thinking and praying it won’t happen again at our schools, jobs, or our community spots,” Dorsey tweeted. “It’s beyond time to evolve our policies.”
“Our all those hearts injured go out and to impacted today. We will come together to heal as a family.” YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki