Napa County

Residents at Yountville Veterans Home Relieved After Terrifying Morning

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Residents at Yountville Veterans Home are breathing a big sigh of relief after a terrifying morning involving reports of a woman with a shotgun Tuesday.

Authorities in Napa County said the initial call came in at about 8:20 a.m. and the public was asked to avoid the Yountville area. A search was conducted in the facility but nothing was found.

The scene at Yountville Veterans Home had the swat team surrounding campus and worrying residents, employees and their family members alike.

Lowell Sabisaje, a nurse's husband, shares his wife had to hide before even being evacuated.

"It's really kind of traumatic especially with all this stuff happening, you hear all these news going on," he said.

Just after noon, authorities gave the all clear, but did not provide any further details.

The events Tuesday morning brought back memories of the deadly 2018 shooting at the same location.

Three years ago, an armed man shot and killed three women at the Pathway Home, a since-closed veterans' center at the same Yountville complex, before turning the gun on himself. That March 2018 shooting started as an active shooter response and hostage situation.

70-year-old resident and Vietnam Veteran William Orr said he just tried to keep his cool during Tuesday morning's lockdown.

"Even if I see or heard bullets flying - I was infantry 75th rangers so I know a little bit about bullets flying over your head - don’t panic because if you panic, you’re in trouble," Orr said.

Many said given the recent shootings in Colorado and Atlanta, it's not surprising everyone would be on edge at a place like the VA hospital that's already seen a mass shooting.

"It’s a combination of a lot of things. There’s a lot of mental illness out there I’m afraid," said Napa resident Russ Eberwein. "A lot of stress because of the coronavirus and it’s just hard to pinpoint one cause."

Authorities did not report any injuries following the events.

"We have these freedoms. The freedom you can have your own gun and stuff it’s a constitutional right," Orr said. "We’re gonna have these situations, but mental health is going to be a little crazy wherever you go."

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