Santa Clara, California resident Joseph “Joey” Charles Vicencio has been arrested for the September 19 shooting at San Jose State University’s (SJSU) Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
Vicencio is charged with attempted murder, firing at an inhabited dwelling, discharging a firearm in a gross negligent manner, and possession of a firearm in public. Vicencio was booked into the Santa Clara Jail on Sunday, September 22.
The 21-year-old’s motive for firing a gun on campus remains a mystery. Several shots came close to hitting students in the library. SJSU student Garrett Bruner was studying in the library and recalled what happened when the shooting started.
“I see the huge hole in the glass, right above where my head is,” he said, adding, “I realize there’s glass all over me. I realize there’s glass all over the desk. I realize there’s glass all over the floor…and we all just duck. We all just drop down.”
Here’s what you need to know about Joey Vicencio.
1. Campus & City Police Responded to a Shots Fired Call by the University Library
Twitter-Gayle Ong, September 19, 2019San Jose State University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
On Thursday, September 19, at 6:21 p.m., the San Jose Police Department and University police responded to a call of gunfire near the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, on the 100 block of East Fernando and South Fourth Streets.
Multiple shots were fired, shattering the library’s windows on the seventh and eighth floors as well as several windows in a nearby parking structure. Police canvassed the area but were unable to find a suspect. While there were several close calls, no one was injured during the incident. Police did not know where the gunman had been positioned but said it was highly unlikely the shots had been fired from the ground.
It was the second time in two days that police had to search for a campus shooter. “Yesterday, somebody got arrested. They had a gun on campus, so, I don’t know what’s going on at my school,” student Monalisa Te’o told KPIX. Te’o was referring to a 17-year-old boy who was arrested after making threats on social media. Police said the boy was armed with a semi-automatic handgun, ammunition and a knife. Authorities said the two incidents are unrelated.
2. Police Received a Tip about Joseph Vicencio after Releasing Surveillance Photos
San Jose Police Department Press Release Security footage showing a suspect resembling Joseph Vicencio.
On September September 20, the San Jose Police Department released several pictures of their suspect. Surveillance cameras captured images that showed a young man wearing a blue medical mask, tan pants, and possible Nike shoes. The suspect also carried a black and gray backpack. The video footage generated the tip detectives need to help identify their suspect.
3. Joseph Vicencio Voluntarily Met with Police about the Incident
San Jose Police Department.
Vicencio voluntarily went in to speak with detectives, according to San Jose Police Department Public Information Officer Enrique Garcia. He added that Vicencio was subsequently booked early on Sunday morning, September 22.
It is unknown if Vicencio is a current or previous student at SJSU. A public records search shows a person with the same name as Joseph Charles Vicenzio having previous run-ins with the law in March 2019 and 2017, however, details regarding those cases have not been disclosed.
4. One Terrified Student Saw Bullets Fly Past Him in the Library
Bruner was on the library’s eighth floor when the shooting took place. He heard windows shatter and saw bullets flying past him. Bruner told ABC7 News he had to take cover.
“I’m like crawling over glass, I grab all my stuff, I throw it in my bag and I basically just ran for the elevators,” he recalled. Before fleeing, Bruner took several photos of the library’s interior, which showed a broken window and shattered glass on the floor.
Bruner said he won’t be going back to the library. “A couple feet down, I could’ve just gotten shot in the head,” he explained.
Te’o was attending a school workshop in the library but was quickly escorted out the library’s south exit when police arrived. “Maybe walking around downtown was a little bit dangerous, but the library? That should’ve been a safe place,” was also told ABC7 News.
5. The Shooting Is Still under Investigation
According to police, the SJSU shooting involving Joseph Vicencio is still an active investigation. Anyone with information is being asked to call San Jose Police Department Detective Matthew Sanfilippo at (408) 464-8379 or email 4186@sanjoseca.gov. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling the police department’s hotline at (408) 947-7867.