Report: YouTube Shooter Was Vegan Activist

Nasim Aghdam complained site was stifling traffic
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 4, 2018 1:08 AM CDT
Report: YouTube Shooter Was Vegan Activist
An officer runs past a YouTube sign near the company's complex in San Bruno, Calif., on Tuesday.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

The woman who opened fire at YouTube's Silicon Valley headquarters Tuesday was a vegan activist angry about how her videos were being treated, according to law enforcement sources. The sources have identified the shooter—who injured at least three people before apparently killing herself—to the San Francisco Chronicle as Nasim Aghdam, a 39-year-old San Diego resident. Aghdam was active in animal rights causes and posted YouTube videos on a range of topics, including workouts and vegan cooking. YouTube took her videos down Tuesday night but her website, where she complained about YouTube filtering her traffic to reduce views, remained active. Family members say Aghdam was furious that YouTube had "demonetized" her channels, meaning she was no longer being paid.

"There is no equal growth opportunity on YOUTUBE or any other video sharing site, your channel will grow if they want to!!!!!," wrote Aghdam, who complained in an Instagram post last month that YouTube is censoring "people who speak the truth and are not good for the financial, political gains of the system and big businesses." San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini says the shooter opened fire with a handgun in a courtyard, the AP reports. She wounded three people before shooting herself. A fourth person injured an ankle while trying to escape, police say. The most seriously injured victim is a man who was hospitalized in critical condition. Police, who initially said the shooting was a possible domestic incident, now say there's no evidence the shooter knew any of the victims. (More YouTube stories.)

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