Suspects in a mass shooting at a holiday banquet at a social services center in San Bernardino, one man and one woman, were killed in a shootout with police, and a third suspect was detained, officials said Wednesday afternoon.
"These are people that came prepared. They were dressed in a way to indicate they were prepared. They had long guns not handguns," Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.
Police identified the couple as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28 and Tashfeen Malik, 27. Farook, an employee of the county health department for five years, where he was an environmental specialist, Burguan said.
At least 14 were dead, and 17 injured in the shooting. Police do not have a motive but investigators have not ruled out a link with terrorism and are also looking into the possibility that a workplace dispute triggered the massacre.
SWAT teams were working to clear a home in Redlands of explosive devices after suspects may have been seen at that location. It was unclear if any devices were in the home, but one device was detonated at the Inland Regional Center where the shooting broke out.
It was not immediately clear what could have motivated the attack.
"We have no information at this point that this is terrorist related in the traditional way people are thinking. We have a domestic terrorist situation here," Burguan said.
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Initial reports indicated that two may have fled the shooting in a dark-colored SUV, and investigators are asking people to have a heightened sense of awareness and report anything suspicious to local authorities.
Shortly thereafter, SWAT sandwiched in a black SUV riddled with bullet holes after an apparent shoot out with officers. The man and woman were killed.
"They came here with a purpose, they came here with an intent to do something."
It was unclear if the suspects said anything when they entered the Inland Regional Center, which serves people with developmental disabilities, in the 1300 block of S. Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino around 11 a.m. and began shooting.
Multiple agencies, including the FBI and ATF, were assisting with the investigation.
Seventy schools and multiple city, county and state buildings in the San Bernardino area were placed on lockdown as the search for the shooters continued.
Lockdown on the San Bernardino City Unified School District schools and offices was lifted around 4:40 p.m., but the search for a possible third suspect continued.
Anyone with information is asked to call an anonymous tip line at 800-782-7463.
