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Toll rises in 'Santa' LA shooting | Toll rises in 'Santa' LA shooting |
(about 3 hours later) | |
At least eight people have died after a man dressed as Santa Claus opened fire at a Christmas party near Los Angeles and set the house alight, police say. | At least eight people have died after a man dressed as Santa Claus opened fire at a Christmas party near Los Angeles and set the house alight, police say. |
Officers fear there may be other people missing in the house in Covina, 25 miles (40km) east of Los Angeles. | Officers fear there may be other people missing in the house in Covina, 25 miles (40km) east of Los Angeles. |
Police named Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, 45, as a suspect and said he had later killed himself at his brother's house, some 25 miles (40km) away. | Police named Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, 45, as a suspect and said he had later killed himself at his brother's house, some 25 miles (40km) away. |
Mr Pardo had recently been divorced and is believed to have lost his job. | Mr Pardo had recently been divorced and is believed to have lost his job. |
Pat Buchanan, a Los Angeles police officer, told the Associated Press news agency: "He was going through some type of marital problems." | Pat Buchanan, a Los Angeles police officer, told the Associated Press news agency: "He was going through some type of marital problems." |
Police said Mr Pardo's former wife may have been at the party. | Police said Mr Pardo's former wife may have been at the party. |
Burnt out | Burnt out |
The gunman opened fire on some 25 guests with a hand gun after arriving on Wednesday night, police said. | The gunman opened fire on some 25 guests with a hand gun after arriving on Wednesday night, police said. |
The body of suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo has been found | The body of suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo has been found |
They said he then used a homemade incendiary device to set the house on fire. | They said he then used a homemade incendiary device to set the house on fire. |
Eyewitnesses said he removed the Santa suit and left in casual clothing. | Eyewitnesses said he removed the Santa suit and left in casual clothing. |
One neighbour, Jan Gregory, told AP she saw a teenage boy running from the house screaming: "They shot my family." | One neighbour, Jan Gregory, told AP she saw a teenage boy running from the house screaming: "They shot my family." |
The subsequent fire gutted the two-storey home. | The subsequent fire gutted the two-storey home. |
Among those injured was an eight-year-old girl. | Among those injured was an eight-year-old girl. |
LA County coroner's official Ed Winter said the bodies found in the ashes were "extremely charred and burned". | LA County coroner's official Ed Winter said the bodies found in the ashes were "extremely charred and burned". |
Police said Mr Pardo's body had been found several hours after the shooting, at his brother's house in Sylma. He died from a single gunshot wound to the head. | Police said Mr Pardo's body had been found several hours after the shooting, at his brother's house in Sylma. He died from a single gunshot wound to the head. |