VTA

Motive in deadly VTA shooting appears to be dispute over money, investigators say

Investigators said Monday it appears the motive in the shooting had something to do with a dispute over money owed from betting

NBC Universal, Inc. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office identified a 45-year-old father of two as the bus driver who was shot to death at a VTA bus yard Friday night in San Jose. Marianne Favro reports.

Santa Clara County sheriff's detectives have identified and arrested a man in a shooting at a Valley Transportation Authority facility in San Jose that left one person dead Friday.

The department said 33-year-old Duc Minh Bui was the sole shooter and is "responsible for the victim’s death." Bui is an employee at VTA and supposedly worked with the victim.

Investigators said Monday it appears the motive in the shooting had something to do with a dispute over money owed from betting.

The shooting was initially reported just before 10 p.m. Friday at VTA's Chaboya Division Yard in the 2200 block of South Seventh Street. Officers responded to the scene to find a man suffering from "at least one gunshot wound."

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene after the San Jose Fire Department and county EMS arrived.

Sheriff's officials identified the victim as VTA employee Regulus Teotico, 45, a father of two.

“Although the investigation is still ongoing, we believe the motive had to do with money owed between the two men from their betting activities,” Captain Sugey Jaimez of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said.

VTA’s CEO said Teotico said he was well liked by employees.

“We were fortunate to have him as part of our staff for 10 years,” said VTA CTA Carolyn Gonor. “He was indeed hard working and well-known amongst his colleagues.”

Due to the incident, VTA increased its security at all facilities.

"VTA is committed to supporting its employees during this difficult time, and mental health professionals have been made available to employees and their families," the agency said in a news release Saturday.

Raj Singh, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, said employees are still in shock.

Santa Clara County sheriff's detectives have identified and arrested a man in a shooting at a Valley Transportation Authority facility in San Jose that left one person dead Friday. Bob Redell reports.

He added that amid the "confusion and chaos," the person who died was a beloved individual at VTA.

"I had the pleasure of working with him for the last seven or eight years since he was at this division; we lost a good person. He’s a very good individual," Singh told NBC Bay Area on Saturday.

This is the second deadly shooting in three years that has impacted the VTA community. In 2021, an employee shot and killed nine coworkers before taking his own life.

"This incident is triggering some of our folks. We really thought we were past some of the stuff from before, and obviously, this is going to spur a lot of that back," Singh said.

Following the incident, employees gathered to set up a memorial to remember their colleagues and bring flowers, candles and balloons.

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