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Authorities are trying to determine a motive for Wednesday’s deadly shootings

Authorities are trying to determine a motive for Wednesday’s deadly shooting attack in San Bernardino. It could include workplace violence or terrorism.

Authorities are saying the two suspects killed in connection to the deadly attack were married and had a 6-month-old daughter together.

If you know someone who may have been at the Inland Regional Center during Wednesday’s shooting, call 1-800-637-6653 to check on them.

Officers now believe there wasn’t a third shooter suspected in the crime. Initial reports stated there were three active shooters at the Inland Regional Center for the developmentally disabled.

Police searched door-to-door throughout a Redlands neighborhood to make sure there weren’t any outstanding suspects.

Redlands man describes home-to-home search

The two suspects killed have been identified as 28-year-old Syed Farook and 27-year-old Tashfeen Malik. Farook worked for the county of San Bernardino for the past five years as an environmental specialist.

Officers said a holiday party was taking place at the Inland Regional Center for the San Bernardino County Department of Health when the shooting occurred.

The sheriff’s department said 12 of the 14 people killed were San Bernardino County employees and 18 of the 21 victims who were wounded were also county employees.

Farook was said to be at the party but then left and allegedly returned with Malik, as the two carried assault rifles and handguns into the building while dawning tactical gear. A total of 14 people have been confirmed killed and the number of wounded victims increased from 17 to 21. The injured were rushed to various hospitals in the area.

Officials have said that most of the victims of the mass shooting are people who had worked to help those with disabilities and some of the victims had been attending the employee holiday banquet.

Authorities said they are investigating if a dispute at the morning event had anything to do with the attack.

Farook’s brother-in-law, Farhan Khan, spoke at a press conference held by CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, on Wednesday night and said their family is in shock and they have no idea what the motive for the tragic shooting was. He said he last spoke to Farook a week ago.

The family hadn’t been able to track down Farook or his wife since Wednesday morning, said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR.

CAIR has denounced the action and said their thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s families.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call the San Bernardino County sheriff’s hotline at 1-866-346-7632 to report any potential leads.

San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health has established a crisis hotline at 909-421-9495.

Shootout with police:

Officers were involved in a shootout with the suspects accused of going on a mass-shooting at a San Bernardino social services facility for the developmentally disabled Wednesday morning. A male and female suspect were shot and killed after a high-speed pursuit.

Officers were serving a search warrant at a Redland’s apartment with an address belonging to Farook’s family. We’ve heard reports of a flash bang going off at the residence and the ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) was using a robot to sweep the apartment for possible explosives.

It’s the same apartment where the suspect’s SUV was spotted earlier in the afternoon, leading to the high-speed chase that ended on East San Bernardino Avenue and Richardson Street.

FBI agents said they located a possible explosive device on the second floor of the Inland Regional Center, where the shootings took place, and they expected the bomb squad to be on scene for several more hours.

Medical officials urge donors to go to the Riverside, Ontario, High Desert or La Quinta Lifestream Blood centers.

Places you can go to donate blood for victims

The high-speed chase began around 3 p.m. The suspect’s SUV crashed into a white pickup truck near Richardson Street and E. San Bernardino Avenue before gunfire was exchanged between the suspects and police.

Armored police were surrounding the black SUV with shattered windows in a neighborhood street. Two officers were shot as well but authorities said their injuries aren’t life-threatening.

The site of the crash is only a four-minute drive from where the deadly shootings took place, and the crash happened about four and a half hours after the shootings.

The wounded were taken to various hospitals after being shot at the Inland Regional Center, located at 1365 S. Waterman Avenue.

Officers said the two shooters walked into the facility and opened fire. Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said at a news conference Wednesday that the number of fatalities was a preliminary number and could potentially change.

There were also children in the facility at the time of the shooting but there’s no word if any children were injured.

Authorities said they don’t yet know the motive for the deadly shootings.

Riverside police dispatchers sent out a general advisory alert that the suspects were in a black GMC Yukon and they were heading northbound on Waterman Avenue around 11:45 a.m. The broadcast indicated there were unconfirmed reports the suspects were male and of Middle Eastern origin, “armed with AK-47’s and wearing body armor.”

Authorities said the suspects were armed with assault rifles and handguns and they were wearing tactical gear during the shootings. FBI agents said they will see where the evidence leads them, but they don’t know at this time if the shootings were related to terrorism.

School buses transported victims who were caught inside the facility during the shooting to The Rock Church.

A Riverside County sheriff’s spokesman says the agency was on heightened alert in response to the deadly shootings in neighboring San Bernardino, calling it an “unresolved, fluid situation.” Extra patrols and increased staffing at sensitive locations, including schools and medical facilities, is underway, he said.

Officials with Loma Linda University Medical Center were on high-alert following the shooting, which took place about three miles away. The medical center declared a code yellow alert at 2:30 p.m. due to a bomb threat. The alert was lifted about an hour later after experts determined there wasn’t a credible threat.

The entire campus is back at normal operations Thursday and classes will meet with no change in schedule, officials said in a release.

According to witnesses, at least two of the shooters were wearing ski masks during the shooting.

The sheriff’s department closed Orange Show Road, S. Waterman Avenue and Park Center Circle in San Bernardino. Drivers were asked to avoid the area.

Governor Jerry Brown released the following statement:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families and everyone affected by the brutal attack. California will spare no effort in bringing these killers to justice.”

Out of respect for Californians affected by today’s tragedy, Wednesday evening’s annual Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be canceled. Although the ceremony is canceled, the Christmas tree will still be illuminated at 5:00 p.m.

Capitol flags will be lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims and their families.

Senator Barbara Boxer said, “”It’s heart breaking to see another mass shooting in this great country – in my beautiful state. Innocent people, children. Looks like a war zone and it’s not enough to keep lamenting these things. We have to take action.”

Congressman Ruiz of Palm Desert also gave a statement:

“I am heartbroken to hear of yet another mass shooting that took the lives of innocent people and left many others wounded in the neighboring community of San Bernardino. These cold-blooded acts of violence in our nation have to stop. I offer all my support to our law enforcement and first responders who are caring for the survivors. As one community, let us unite and pray for the victims and their family members who today are mourning the loss of their loved ones,” said Dr. Ruiz.

Mark Scroggins was at the scene following the shooting to check up on his daughter who works at Inland Regional Center.

“You know, as soon as I heard she was okay I thanked the good Lord above. She told me God is protecting her,” Scroggins said.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 have been on scene all day and night. We’ll have more updated information as soon as it’s available.

What we know: San Bernardino shooting

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