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San Bernardino police say up to 12 people dead in mass shooting San Bernardino police say at least 14 people dead in mass shooting
(35 minutes later)
Up to 12 people are feared dead after a shooting at a care center for people with developmental disabilities on Wednesday. At least 14 people are dead and “upwards of 14” more are wounded after a shooting at a care centre in California for people with developmental disabilities.
California police are searching for three suspects who fled the scene in an SUV, authorities have confirmed. The shooting took place in the city of San Bernardino, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Police are searching for three suspects who fled the scene in a dark-coloured SUV, authorities have confirmed, after the shooting which took place in the city of San Bernardino, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, at about 11am local time on Wednesday.
Related: San Bernardino shooting: bomb squad arrives at scene – rolling coverageRelated: San Bernardino shooting: bomb squad arrives at scene – rolling coverage
Barack Obama condemned the shooting in an interview with ABC News shortly after the news broke. “We have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere in the world,” he said. In the deadliest shooting on US soil since the Sandy Hook school massacre in 2012, victims were killed by gunmen who entered the building carrying what police described as “long guns, not handguns”.
Estimates of casualties vary, with the county sheriff’s office tweeting that there were “multiple victims” and the fire department saying that units have responded “to reports of [a] 20 victim shooting incident”. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told the Guardian that they were dealing with “possibly 12” fatalities, said she was unable to elaborate on that number. In a press conference, San Bernardino police chief Jarrod Burguan said the incident involved up to three gunmen. Asked directly whether he was dealing with an incident of terrorism, he said: “We do not know.”
An official at the San Bernadino County sheriff’s department confirmed to the Guardian that law enforcement was acting on intelligence that three suspects were seen fleeing the scene in an SUV. Addressing a roadside press conference, he said the gunmen entered “as if on a mission”, adding: “They came in with a purpose … We have no information to indicate that this is terrorism in the traditional sense, obviously at a minimum we have a domestic terrorism situation.”
The official said the information was “intelligence received by the command post” set up by the San Bernadino police department, which is actively pursuing the lead. The official said they had no current information about the color of the vehicle or description of the suspects, and the radius of the secure perimeter around the center remains unchanged.
One local man told ABC7 that he had received a text from his daughter saying: “Shooting at my workplace. People shot. In the office waiting for cops. Pray for us.” She said she was “locked in an office.”
There are reports of Swat team officers in the social services building and aerial photographs of people leaving the building with their hands in the air.
The attack took place at the Inland Regional Center, a care facility that works with developmentally disabled people. The building was evacuated; people were taken across the street to a golf course, where some were reportedly being treated for injuries.The attack took place at the Inland Regional Center, a care facility that works with developmentally disabled people. The building was evacuated; people were taken across the street to a golf course, where some were reportedly being treated for injuries.
Sergeant Vicki Cervates of the San Bernadino Police told a reporter on ABC7 that “multiple shooters came in and just started shooting” during an event at the center. She said there were “multiple casualties and there are confirmed fatalities”. She added that police had received information that “at least one of the shooters” left in an SUV. Most of the victims were all in the same part of the building, police said.
California governor Jerry Brown was briefed on the situation. Marybeth Field, a member of the board of trustees at Inland Regional Services, said on a given day the facility has 500 employees on-site.
On Wednesday, Field told the Guardian, a conference center had been rented out by the San Bernardino County department of public health for a Christmas party. Field said she had a meeting at the center on Wednesday morning but hadn’t yet arrived when the shooting began.
As details of the latest mass shooting to hit the United States emerged, Barack Obama condemned the incident in an interview with ABC News shortly after the news broke. “We have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere in the world,” he said. Congress could do more to “improve the odds that they don’t happen as frequently”, he said.
Earlier, an official at the San Bernadino County sheriff’s department confirmed to the Guardian that law enforcement was acting on intelligence that three suspects were seen fleeing the scene in an SUV.
The official said the information was “intelligence received by the command post” set up by the San Bernadino police department, which is actively pursuing the lead.
One local man told ABC7 that he had received a text from his daughter saying: “Shooting at my workplace. People shot. In the office waiting for cops. Pray for us.” She said she was “locked in an office.”
There were reports of Swat team officers in the social services building and aerial photographs of people leaving the building with their hands in the air. Soon afterwards, all courts, government buildings and schools in the county were put on lockdown.
Sergeant Vicki Cervates of the San Bernadino Police told a reporter on ABC7 that “multiple shooters came in and just started shooting”. She said there were “multiple casualties and there are confirmed fatalities”. She added that police had received information that “at least one of the shooters” left in an SUV.
Nancy Lungren, assistant director of communications for the California department of developmental services, said the Inland Regional Center is one of 21 facilities in the state that help coordinate services and support people with developmental disabilities including autism and cerebral palsy.Nancy Lungren, assistant director of communications for the California department of developmental services, said the Inland Regional Center is one of 21 facilities in the state that help coordinate services and support people with developmental disabilities including autism and cerebral palsy.
“And it can make all the difference,” Lungren said. “They try to keep them in a community, living at home or living in an apartment.”“And it can make all the difference,” Lungren said. “They try to keep them in a community, living at home or living in an apartment.”
Related: Inland Regional Center: shooting target is community for disabled people
Police warned residents to avoid the area near Orange Show Road and Waterman Avenue, an area of the city near a golf course. Units were working to clear the scene and emergency personnel have arrived, according to the sheriff’s department. Further unconfirmed eyewitness reports described three gunmen, wearing ski masks and camouflage, carrying rifles.Police warned residents to avoid the area near Orange Show Road and Waterman Avenue, an area of the city near a golf course. Units were working to clear the scene and emergency personnel have arrived, according to the sheriff’s department. Further unconfirmed eyewitness reports described three gunmen, wearing ski masks and camouflage, carrying rifles.
No arrests had been reported as of 1pm local time.
The attack is the latest in a litany of mass shooting events in the United States.The attack is the latest in a litany of mass shooting events in the United States.
There have been at least 351 mass shootings in the US in the space of 334 days, according to the data collection efforts of a Reddit community who record all incidents with four or more victims (including the shooter). Together, those shootings left at least 447 individuals confirmed as dead and 1,292 injured.There have been at least 351 mass shootings in the US in the space of 334 days, according to the data collection efforts of a Reddit community who record all incidents with four or more victims (including the shooter). Together, those shootings left at least 447 individuals confirmed as dead and 1,292 injured.
Those numbers do not include events that have happened since 28 November.Those numbers do not include events that have happened since 28 November.
On Friday, three were killed and nine injured in an attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado.On Friday, three were killed and nine injured in an attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Chris Murphy, the Connecticut senator who had just been elected when the 26 people were shot dead at Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012, leading him into a campaign for gun control, summed up the feelings of many on social media:Chris Murphy, the Connecticut senator who had just been elected when the 26 people were shot dead at Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012, leading him into a campaign for gun control, summed up the feelings of many on social media:
Oh god. Not again. #SanBernardinoOh god. Not again. #SanBernardino
Additional reporting by Paul LewisAdditional reporting by Paul Lewis