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California drive-by shootings: Seven dead after gunman goes on rampage near Santa Barbara university California drive-by shootings: British-born man kills six near Santa Barbara university
(about 7 hours later)
A gunman has killed six people in a drive-by shooting before he was found dead in the Californian city of Santa Barbara, US police have said. A British-born man carried out a terrifying drive-by shooting spree in the town of Isla Vista in southern California on Friday night, hours after promising “retribution” against women in a YouTube post.
The shootings occurred at 9.30pm on Friday evening near the University of California-Santa Barbara, where many of the residents in the area are students. Elliot Rodger was the son of filmmaker Peter Rodger, the second unit director for 2012 blockbuster The Hunger Games; and the grandson of George Rodger, a celebrated British photojournalist and co-founder of the Magnum Photos agency.
After arriving at the scene, the gunman and the officers exchanged fire. The suspect fled, but was later found crashed into a parked vehicle in his car dead, with a bullet wound to his head. Seven people were killed, including the gunman, in Friday’s attack. The next day Rodger’s father confirmed, via his lawyer, Alan Schifman, that he believed his son was the shooter. The 22-year-old wrote on his blog that he was born in the UK but moved to the US when he was five. He lived in Calabasas, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb, but was studying at Santa Barbara City College, close to Isla Vista. Mr Schifman said Rodger had been diagnosed as a high-functioning patient with Asperger syndrome, and had been bullied throughout his life. His parents had recently reported a series of disturbing YouTube videos made by their son to police, who interviewed Rodger and found him “polite and kind”.
Seven other people are being treated in hospital for gunshot wounds. Police are now investigating Rodger’s final video, entitled “Elliot Rodger’s retribution”, which was posted to YouTube on Friday and widely circulated after the shootings. In the recording, Rodger sat in his car, looking into the camera and laughing as he promised a “day of retribution”. He said, despite attending university for more than two and a half years, he was still a virgin. “I’ve been forced to endure an existence of loneliness, rejection and unfulfilled desires all because girls have never been attracted to me,” he said. Women, he claimed, would throw themselves at “obnoxious brutes”, while rejecting him, “the supreme gentleman”.  He went on: “You forced me to suffer... now I’ll make you all suffer… I can’t wait to give you exactly what you deserve. Utter annihilation.”
"This incident appears to be a mass murder situation," Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a televised news conference. "We currently have seven people confirmed dead, that includes the suspect and six victims. Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown confirms at a press conference seven people, including the gunman, have died
Police are now looking into a YouTube video in which a young man, who names himself as 22-year-old Elliot Rodgers, threatens to take revenge against women for repeatedly rejecting him in a video entitled 'Elliot Rodger’s retribution'. Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said the shootings, which began around 9.30pm local time, were a “premeditated mass murder” and “the work of a madman”.
In it, he can be seen sat in a BMW, saying: “Tomorrow is the day of retribution. The day in which I will have my revenge against humanity. […] I’ve been forced to endure an existence  of loneliness, rejection, and unfulfilled desires, all because girls have never been attracted to me. […] I’m 22 years old, and I am still a virgin.” A student from the University of California, Santa Barbara told news station KEYT-TV that the driver of a black BMW had approached her and brandished a handgun, asking “Hey, what’s up?”, before opening fire.
"Girls gave their affection and sex and love to other men but never to me," he continues, before claiming this will be his last video. The gunman became involved in a firefight with police before crashing into a parked car. He was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, though it was not immediately clear whether he had committed suicide or been killed by police.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown confirms at a press conference seven people, including the gunman, have died The shootings took place at difference sites in the Isla Vista area, Mr Brown said, leaving nine crime scenes.
"We have obtained and are currently analysing both written and videotaped evidence that suggests this atrocity was a premeditated mass murder," Brown added, describing the shooting as the "obviously the work of a madman."
A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the scene near the university campus.
Witnesses reported seeing a black BMW speeding through the streets and spraying bullets at people and other targets in the beachside community California's KEYT-TV reported.
A 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 unnammed student said thought he was carrying an airsoft gun and kept walking. She said seconds later, she felt something buzz by her head and quickly realized they were bullets.
One student reported seeing shots fired from a BMW, fatally wounding one woman and critically injuring another.
"I heard shots, scream, pain," Michael Vitak said. "All emotions. I hope she is going to be fine."