Los Angeles (IANS) At least 14 people were killed and 14 others injured in a shooting on Wednesday in San Bernardino City of Southern California and up to three shooters are still active, police said.
San Bernardino police chief Jarrod Burguan said at a press conference that the fatalties are preliminary. The suspects may still be inside the Inland Regional Center Building where the shooting happened, Xinhua reported.
There were several hundred people inside the building when the shooting happened and most of them walked out unhurt.
The identity and motivation of the shooters are still under investigation.
San Bernardino County Sheriff John MacMahon said that as there might be one or more suspects fled by a black SUV, the nearby region are under search and on alert.
“We will do everything to keep public safe,” MacMahon said.
Assistant director of FBI David Boudich said that it is still not clear whether the shooting is a terrorist attack or not.
Sgt. Vicki Cervantes, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino Police Department, said that the suspect or suspects are heavily armed and were wearing ski masks and possibly body armour.
The shooters burst into a conference room where a Christmas party was held and started shooting.
US President Barack Obama was briefed about the shooting by Homeland Securities officials and he called for a bipartisan effort “at every level of government” to address mass shooting problems, local media reported.
Two Southern California shooting suspects dead, explosive found
Los Angeles (IANS) Two suspects, a male and a female, were dead and one possible suspect was in custody after the deadly shooting that killed at least 14 people and injured 17 others in San Bernardino City of Southern California on Wednesday.
San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan told a press conference that police found a suspected explosive device in the Inland Regional Center building where the shooting happened at around 11:00 a.m. local time (1900 GMT), Xinhua reported.
The two killed suspects were a male and a female. Both of them had rifles and handguns. Their dark SUV, which they drove to flee, was found several hours later in the afternoon by police and after a while of chasing they stopped and exchanged gunfire with police at a residential area several miles away from the shooting scene. Both were killed during the gunfire.
The Loma Linda Medical Center, which received five adult injured victims of the shooting for treatment, got a bomb threat in the afternoon, police said.
Briana Pastino, Public Information Officer of the hospital, said all of the five victims are remaining in the hospital. Two of them are in critical but stable condition, two others in fair condition and one is still being accessed.
Assistant director of FBI David Boudich said that he is still not sure whether the shooting is a terrorist attack or not. He said that more evidence needs to be put together.
One police officer suffered light injury during the action.
Police said the shooters were well prepared with long guns and wearing ski masks and possibly body armour. They burst into a conference room, which was rented by the San Bernardino Health Department for a banquet for its employees, and started shooting.
There were several hundred people inside the building when the shooting happened. Most of them walked out unhurt.
The identity and motivation of the shooter or shooters are still under investigation.
US President Barack Obama was briefed about the shooting.
“We should never think that this is something that just happens in the ordinary course of events, because it does not happen with the same frequency in other countries,” said Obama, who called for tighter gun control after a shooting in Colorado last Friday killed three people.
Dear readers, The developed country which has more guns that its population,invading the countries for regime change,in pursuit of weapons of destruction,axis of evil and terror registering more deaths “Now Die From Guns Than Cars”. The United States is one of the greatest nations in the world. But compared to our peers, we’re one of the worst when it comes to gun violence. In America, you can be shot at an elementary school. You can be murdered at a church or movie theatre. You can even be executed on live TV — and yet there’s no real expectation of gun… Read more »
The terrorist’s name was Syed RIZWAN Farooq.
“The two killed suspects were a male and a female” – report WOW!! What a great description of suspects!! ‘Male and female’ – that’s all we need to know. Since the names are not important, we can safely assume that these were two Jewish or Christian guys from LA suburbs!! Or, may be, guys from ISKCON – you never know!! From mangaluru vimaana nildaana to massacre in California, we all know that names of suspects are not important as they make peace-loving citizens very uncomfortable. Revealing names will prove that we are an ‘intolerant’ nation and it will certainly upset… Read more »
The terrorist’s name was Syed RIZWAN Farooq.-Mr.Roy
Sir,In the past, many such shooters have committed massacres in America. But the moment, their race and identity is known, the words used to describe them are ‘soft’. There is talk about their being ‘lonely, ‘disturbed childhood’, ‘recluse’ and similar terms, as if that could justify the killings.
Will you identify the shift in active journalism by mass media once the name is Muslim?
It is hard truth.This is the reality of the world. They will show you only one side of the coin.
Jai Hind