A gunman in a speeding car went on the rampage in Santa Barbara in Southern California on Friday night, spraying bullets at nine different locations that left at least seven people dead and seven others injured.
The gunman, said to be a “severely mentally disturbed” individual, was among the dead. It was not immediately clear if he died of a self-inflicted gunshot injury to his head, or was killed by police deputies returning the fire. Police called it a “premeditated mass murder” in Isla Vista, near the University of California, Santa Barbara. The sheriff’s office said it is “analysing written and video evidence that suggests this was a premeditated mass murder”.
The authorities did not immediately reveal the names of the gunman or of the victims. The motive of the killings was not known yet. “It’s obviously the work of a madman. It’s just unfortunate that these kinds of circumstances occur,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. CNN quoted Brown as saying that investigators are looking into a video posted on social media that contains “a man’s tirade against women who supposedly rebuffed him”. A seven-minute video, titled Retribution and posted on YouTube by a person identifying himself as Elliot Rodger, is said to blast “women who’ve ignored or rejected him over the past eight years”, warning that he punish them all for it.
The seven injured persons admitted to hospital suffered gunshot wounds or traumatic injuries, Brown said, noting one victim is said to have “life-threatening injuries”. A report by KEYT-TV quoted witnesses as saying that a black BMW sped through the streets, spraying bullets at people and various targets.