Another attack

14 people killed in California suburb

Less than one full week after our nation finished celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, two ISIS supporters mercilessly gunned down an innocent group of employees of the local health department at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California Wednesday, Dec. 2.

The first gunshots were fired around 11 a.m. Two gunmen, later identified as husband and wife Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 29, made their way to the Inland Regional Center where the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health was hosting a holiday party, according to the regional center’s website.

Farook, an employee of the health department, was initially at the party but left early. He and his wife returned around 11 a.m., dressed in combat gear and carrying legally obtained
assault rifles.

Police reports indicate the assailants fired 65-75 rounds, killing 14 and injuring 21. Employees and other bystanders in adjacent buildings remained hidden for nearly two hours.

First responders arrived within four minutes. They evacuated the injured and directed those who already fled to the San Bernardino Golf Club’s golf course across the street from the location of the shooting.

Farook and Malik reportedly escaped the scene in a black SUV, leading to a manhunt by local law enforcement.

Authorities received multiple tips regarding the black SUV’s location as well as a tip from an employee as to who the shooters might have been. The tips led them to a home in the Redlands, roughly 10 miles from San Bernardino. When law enforcement arrived, the black SUV slowly drove by then sped away, warranting pursuit by police cruisers.

Screen Shot 2015-12-08 at 12.20.07 PM

A chase between the shooters and police returned toward to the San Bernardino office. Malik drove while Farook shot at law enforcement. The first shots of the police shootout rang around 3 p.m. After firing 76 rifle rounds at police, Malik and Farook were both killed by police gunfire. Malik was shot dead while in the vehicle, while Farook was killed outside of it. At 3:16 p.m., four hours after the first bullets fired, the manhunt was over.

The FBI joined local police in further investigation to determine if this was in fact an act of terror. Two days after the event, the FBI confirmed the San Bernardino shooting was being treated as an act of terrorism.

Editor’s Note: Various news sources were used in this story.

For more information see “University responds to Convocation remarks” at www.liberty.edu/news.

HAYWOOD is the editor-in-chief.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *