Shoots three individuals, then kills himself.
Bureau Report
SAN FRANCISCO: Police officials in California have identified the perpetrator of a series of bizarre fatal shootings in Orange County, which resulted in the death of three individuals, and injuries to at least two others, before turning the gun on himself, as Ali Syed, a 20-year-old student at a local community college who had no criminal record.
Authorities don’t have a motive for the shootings, which began with the slaying of a woman at Syed’s south Orange County home, spread north in a series of random and deadly carjackings, and ended with his suicide in the city of Orange, reported the Los Angeles Times.
Syed was described as an unemployed man who was taking a class at Saddleback College. He was living with his parents on Red Leaf Lane in Ladera Ranch, Amormino said.
Deputies were called to their home about 4:45 a.m. after his parents reported a shooting, Amormino said. Responding deputies found a woman dead inside who had been shot multiple times. The relationship between the woman and Syed was not yet known, Amormino said, although she was not related to the suspect. The woman has not yet been identified, said the Times.
Family members, including children, were at the home at the time of the shooting, Amormino said, but no other injuries were reported. Syed fled the area and headed toward Tustin, where Amormino said “multiple incidents” occurred. The first, authorities said, occurred near Red Hill Avenue and the 5 Freeway, where authorities received a report of a man with a gun about 5:10 a.m. The suspect attempted a carjacking, Tustin police Lt. Paul Garaven said, opened fire and wounded a bystander.
About five minutes later, the suspect stopped a BMW near the 55 Freeway in Santa Ana, officials said. The Associated Press reported that the driver of the car was asked to get out of the car, taken out and then shot dead.
Around that time, authorities also received reports about a man shooting at moving vehicles on the 55 Freeway. Officials believe the man fired either while driving or after he stopped and got out of his vehicle. At least three victims have reported minor injuries or damage to their cars, and investigators asked that others who believe they may have been fired upon to contact police, reported the Times.
Shortly after, another shooting and carjacking was reported on Edinger Avenue near the Micro Center computer store in Tustin, Garaven said. One person was killed and another was taken to a hospital. Co-workers identified the men as plumbers who were working at the under-construction Fairfield Inn on Edinger Avenue.
Officers spotted the suspect in a stolen vehicle, followed him into the city of Orange and initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of East Katella Avenue and North Wanda Road, Garaven said. The suspect then shot and killed himself, authorities said. A shotgun was recovered, but officials said other weapons might have been involved earlier.