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Seven dead including gunman in 'mass murder' California shooting Seven dead including gunman in 'mass murder' California shooting
(about 1 hour later)
Seven people have been killed in a shooting near a college campus in California, in what authorities described as “premeditated mass murder”. Seven more people were injured, one with injuries that police said were life-threatening and required surgery. Seven people have been killed in a shooting near a college campus in California, in what authorities described as “premeditated mass murder”. Seven more people were injured, one with injuries police said were life-threatening and required surgery.
The gunman, who police said died in the incident, attacked at approximately 9.27pm on Friday night, driving a black BMW near the University of California at Santa Barbara campus in the Isla Vista neighbourhood. The identities of the victims were not immediately released. The gunman, who police said was on the people killed, attacked at approximately 9.27pm on Friday night, driving a black BMW near the University of California at Santa Barbara campus in the Isla Vista neighbourhood. The identities of the victims were not immediately released.
The Santa Barbara county sheriff, Bill Brown, who said the name of the suspected gunman would not be released, pending notification of relatives, confirmed that police were investigating a video posted on YouTube. He said: "It would appear that [it] is connected.”The Santa Barbara county sheriff, Bill Brown, who said the name of the suspected gunman would not be released, pending notification of relatives, confirmed that police were investigating a video posted on YouTube. He said: "It would appear that [it] is connected.”
The video, entitled Elliot Rodger's Retribution and published on Friday, shows a young man who says he is a 22-year-old virgin, complaining that women have rejected him. The video, entitled Elliot Rodger's Retribution and published on Friday, showed a young man who said he was a 22-year-old virgin, complaining that women had rejected him.
"I will have my revenge against humanity," he says, vowing to kill students and Isla Vista residents. "I will punish all of you for it." "I will have my revenge against humanity," he said, vowing to kill students and Isla Vista residents. "I will punish all of you for it."
The account that posted the video contains 20 clips, including the titles “Why do girls hate me so much?”,“Life is so unfair because girls don't want me” and “My reaction to seeing a young couple at the beach, Envy”. The account that posted the video contained 20 clips, including the titles “Why do girls hate me so much?”,“Life is so unfair because girls don't want me” and “My reaction to seeing a young couple at the beach, Envy”.
It was reported that the man in the videos, which remained online on Saturday afternoon, had been identified locally as the son of an assistant director on the blockbuster Hunger Games film series. It was reported that the man in the videos, which were taken down on Saturday afternoon, had been identified locally as the son of an assistant director on the blockbuster Hunger Games film series.
“This was a premeditated mass murder,” Brown said. He described the gunman as “severely mentally disturbed”, called the incident “the work of a madman” and added that “a lot more information will come out that will give a clearer picture of just how disturbed this individual was". “This was a premeditated mass murder,” Brown said. He also described the gunman as “severely mentally disturbed”, called the incident “the work of a madman” and added that “a lot more information will come out that will give a clearer picture of just how disturbed this individual was".
He said police believed the suspected gunman acted alone, and that about 10 minutes elapsed betwen the first 911 calls and the suspected gunman being found dead in his car. Brown said police believed the suspected gunman acted alone, and that about 10 minutes elapsed betwen the first 911 calls and the suspected gunman being found dead in his car.
On Saturday morning, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) released a statement. It said: “The UC police department is working closely with the Santa Barbara sheriff’s office in support of the ongoing investigation.
“We have been notified that several of our students were taken to local hospitals last night, but we do not have additional information at this time. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those affected.”
The university said it was making counselling services available and had set up emergency housing for those affected.
The county sheriff’s office said: “This is a very active and complex investigation involving approximately nine different crime scenes. We are in the process of interviewing a large number of witnesses and ask for the public’s assistance in locating others.”The county sheriff’s office said: “This is a very active and complex investigation involving approximately nine different crime scenes. We are in the process of interviewing a large number of witnesses and ask for the public’s assistance in locating others.”
Witnesses interviewed by a local television station reported seeing the car speeding through the streets as the gunman fired from it. Brown confirmed that the gunman exchanged fire with sheriff’s deputies in two separate gunfights, before crashing into a parked car.Witnesses interviewed by a local television station reported seeing the car speeding through the streets as the gunman fired from it. Brown confirmed that the gunman exchanged fire with sheriff’s deputies in two separate gunfights, before crashing into a parked car.
The suspect was found dead of a gunshot wound in the car, where authorities recovered a semiautomatic handgun. Brown said he did not know if the suspect had been shot by deputies, or if he had killed himself.The suspect was found dead of a gunshot wound in the car, where authorities recovered a semiautomatic handgun. Brown said he did not know if the suspect had been shot by deputies, or if he had killed himself.
One student told KEYT-TV that he saw shots fired from the car, fatally striking one woman and critically injuring another. One student told KEYT-TV that he saw shots fired from the car, fatally striking one woman and critically injuring another. "I heard shots, scream, pain," Michael Vitak said.
"I heard shots, scream, pain," Michael Vitak said.
Another, visibly shaken student told the station she was approached by the driver of a black BMW who flashed a handgun and asked: "Hey, what's up?"Another, visibly shaken student told the station she was approached by the driver of a black BMW who flashed a handgun and asked: "Hey, what's up?"
The student, who did not provide her full name, said thought he was carrying an airsoft gun and kept walking. She said seconds later, she felt something buzz by her head and quickly realised they were bullets.The student, who did not provide her full name, said thought he was carrying an airsoft gun and kept walking. She said seconds later, she felt something buzz by her head and quickly realised they were bullets.
Robert Johnson, a 21-year-old UCSB student, said the car drove past him at a busy intersection and that he heard "popping noises" that he originally mistook for firecrackers or a car backfiring. Robert Johnson, a 21-year-old UCSB student, said the car drove past him at a busy intersection and that he heard "popping noises" that he mistook for firecrackers or a car backfiring.
"Then the sound came again, and by that point it had pulled up in front of a convenience store deli, and someone in the car was firing into a crowd of about eight, 10 people that were gathered in front of the store," he said."Then the sound came again, and by that point it had pulled up in front of a convenience store deli, and someone in the car was firing into a crowd of about eight, 10 people that were gathered in front of the store," he said.
"Everyone that was being fired upon, they all jumped and scrambled to run inside the store.”"Everyone that was being fired upon, they all jumped and scrambled to run inside the store.”
The car had darkly tinted windows and the occupant was not visible, Johnson said.The car had darkly tinted windows and the occupant was not visible, Johnson said.
The county sheriff's statement said: “The shootings began at approximately 9.27pm on 23 May when reports of shots fired in the Isla Vista area were called in to the Santa Barbara county emergency communications centre. Sheriff’s deputies responded and found several victims suffering from gunshot wounds.The county sheriff's statement said: “The shootings began at approximately 9.27pm on 23 May when reports of shots fired in the Isla Vista area were called in to the Santa Barbara county emergency communications centre. Sheriff’s deputies responded and found several victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
“At approximately 9.33pm, six minutes after the initial call was received, the suspect engaged a group of responding deputies with gunfire. The deputies returned fire and the suspect fled in his vehicle.“At approximately 9.33pm, six minutes after the initial call was received, the suspect engaged a group of responding deputies with gunfire. The deputies returned fire and the suspect fled in his vehicle.
“Seconds later the suspect was again spotted by another deputy and another exchange of gunfire occurred. The suspect fled down Del Playa Drive and eventually crashed into a parked vehicle.”“Seconds later the suspect was again spotted by another deputy and another exchange of gunfire occurred. The suspect fled down Del Playa Drive and eventually crashed into a parked vehicle.”
Isla Vista, a small community next to UC Santa Barbara's campus, is home to 23,000 people. The area has a reputation for excessive partying.Isla Vista, a small community next to UC Santa Barbara's campus, is home to 23,000 people. The area has a reputation for excessive partying.