Two people attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, Calif. on Wednesday morning, killing 14 people and leaving 17 wounded. The attackers have now been identified as Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, a married couple. Both were killed in a shootout with police. The shooting happened at a holiday party for the San Bernardino County Public Health Department, where Farook worked as a health inspector. The motive for the shootings is still unclear.
“They came prepared for what they did and they were on a mission,” said Chief Jarrod Burguan of the San Bernardino police in a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. Burguan also suggested that there was no evidence at that point that the incident was related to international terrorism. However, CNN reports that Farook was “in touch over the phone or social media with more than one international terrorism suspect.”
The couple was armed with semiautomatic handguns and assault rifles. An official told the New York Times that all the guns had been purchased legally—Two by one of the suspects killed in the shooting, and two by a third party.
In the aftermath of the shooting, politicians have responded with calls for action on gun control, as well as the usual thoughts and prayers. People are clearly starting to get tired of inaction—The Atlantic reported on the phenomenon of “prayer shaming” after a tragedy. The New York Times reports that on average, there’s a mass shooting every day in the U.S.
As of now, the victims of the shooting have not been publicly identified. The LA Times reports that anyone attempting to find a relative who they think may have been killed or injured in the shooting should call a family assistance hotline at (800) 637-6653.