On Sunday, March 1, at about 8 p.m., the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) received a report of a United Parcel Service (UPS) employee sending threatening text messages to his employer. The employee was identified as Thomas Andrews, a 32-year-old Sunnyvale resident. The text messages indicated Andrews was planning a mass shooting at the UPS facility in Sunnyvale.
Sunnyvale DPS patrol officers immediately began an investigation and discovered Andrews was the registered owner of four handguns and a rifle. Officers began an extensive search for him. At approximately 11:15 p.m., Sunnyvale DPS patrol officers spotted Andrews in the area of Fair Oaks Avenue and Maude Avenue. Officers attempted an enforcement stop, but Andrews led them in a vehicle pursuit onto southbound Highway 101. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) joined the pursuit and the suspect was safely taken into custody at Highway 101, near Bailey Road.
Sunnyvale DPS detectives obtained a search warrant for Andrew’s residence in Sunnyvale. Officers located over 20,000 rounds of handgun and rifle ammunition, numerous high capacity magazines, 5 tactical style rifles, 1 shotgun, 3 handguns and body armor. Several tactical backpacks containing ammunition were staged at the front door of the apartment where the suspect resides.
Sunnyvale DPS thanked the California Highway Patrol for their assistance on this case.
Thomas Andrews was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for 422 PC – Criminal Threats, 2800.2(a) VC – Evading Police, 23152(a) VC – Driving Under the Influence, and several counts of weapons violations.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Detective Barron Renzi at (408) 730-7712 or brenzi@sunnyvale.ca.gov.
