San Bernardino shooting

2 Dec, 2015 20:14 / Updated 8 years ago

Fourteen people have been killed and 21 injured at a San Bernardino, California facility for people with disabilities, law enforcement said. Police confirmed that two suspects have been killed.

08 December 2015

A deposit of $28,500 was made into the bank account of Syed Farook roughly two weeks before he and his wife carried out their violent assault in San Bernardino, according to Fox News. The deposit was made by WebBank.com, the news outlet stated, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the investigation.

Close to November 20, Farook reportedly withdrew $10,000 in cash at a Union Bank in San Bernardino, Fox reported. Another three transfers of $5,000 were apparently made to Farook's mother in the days leading up to the shooting.

Law enforcement has yet to confirm or comment on the allegations, but Fox's source said the activity would appear to back up the claim that the shooting carried out by Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, was premeditated. 

07 December 2015

The FBI believes that both Farook and Malik were radicalized “for quite some time,” but investigators do not know when, where or how they became extremists, Assistant Director David Bowdich told reporters on Monday morning. He would not give any details about how long they had been radicalized, and said they may never find evidence that another person led them to become extremists.

The federal law enforcement agency is investigating whether anyone else was involved in pre-planning, profited from or financed the attack.

Bowdich also announced that the number of pipe bomb components found in the couple's home had risen from 12 to 19. So far they have found 323 pieces of evidence, most of which as been transported to FBI labs in Washington, DC.

Doctors from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center heard rumors there may have been as many 100 victims, and they prepared for those numbers with 40 to 50 doctors with trauma teams ready to go.

Dr. Michael Neeki, who is trained in tactical medicine and is a part of the SWAT team, headed to the Inland Regional Center in his own car with two residents. He helped clear the second floor of the IRC building.

All victims of the December 2 terrorist attack remaining in the two main hospitals are stable, and many have returned home, Dr. Dev GnanaDev from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center told reporters.

“Our hearts are heavy during this time, but yet we must move forward,” James Ramos, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, said at a Monday morning press conference. “Today we are opening San Bernardino County up for business.”

Returning county employees will notice increased security at all facilities, trained counselors will be provided and all managers have been asked to look for signs of distress in their employees, other supervisors said.

“No act of terrorism anywhere... will provide any kind of an end to the hard work, to the dedication of every single San Bernardino County employee. All of us in San Bernardino County are one family," Supervisor Josie Gonzales said. "We stand together and united. We know our county employees are valuable and we have a mission to come together as a strong community and to supercede any act of terrorism.”

Having obtained a photo of Tashfeen Malik, ABC News also published a photo of Malik and her husband, Syed Farook, passing through US immigration at Chicago O'Hare International Airport upon arrival from Saudi Arabia in July 2014. 

06 December 2015

FBI agents conducted a raid on a house in Riverside, California near the location of the shooting, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

Eimiller declined to specify the address of the premises that was searched or its connection to the case. However, neighbors told Reuters that police searched a house that was once occupied by Syed Farook, who with his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people in the San Bernardino attack.

05 December 2015

Islamic State terrorists have released a statement via online radio, alleging that the San Bernardino attacks were carried out by two of its followers, according to Reuters.

A news agency aligned with the terrorist group on Friday alleged the attackers were followers of the terrorist group. The US government, however, says there is still no evidence to support a connection, or that would prove the terrorists even knew who the attackers were.

The suspicious package turned out to be perfectly safe, bomb disposal teams have determined. The Police Chief tweeted the news.

The package addressed to the suspected shooters is apparently from Sears, according to an ABC 7 reporter.

Chief Burguan said that a "bomb tech" will be inspecting the package as a precaution.

According to police chief Jarrod Burguan, the package was from a "reputable vendor." The package was en route to the suspects' home when the driver realized it was the same address, Burguan said. The driver then brought the package back to the UPS facility.

A San Bernardino UPS facility is being evacuated after a package addressed to the suspected shooters was received, police said.

Shooting suspect Syed Farook was in contact with individuals from at least two terrorist organizations, including Al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front in Syria, the Los Angeles Times reported. Farook was also in touch with the Shabab group in Somalia, the newspaper said, citing an unnamed federal official.

04 December 2015

ABC news has published a photo of Tashfeen Malik, the female suspect in Wednesday's shooting in San Bernardino that the FBI is now investigating as possible terrorism. It is unclear where or how the network obtained the photograph.

The six-month-old daughter of the suspects is in custody of Child Protective Services, the lawyers for Farook's family said, adding that there will be a hearing on Monday on whether she will be returned to her grandmother.

Syed Farook’s family was “as shocked as anyone else” that Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik were identified as shooters in the San Bernardino attack, attorneys for the family David Chesley and Mohammad Abuershaid told reporters on Friday.

If all the FBI had was a Facebook post under another name, or a visit to some web page, “that’s hardly anything at all,” Chesley said.

Abuershaid chastised the media for jumping to conclusions about terrorist ties, adding that every FBI investigation involving a Muslim seems to touch on terrorism.

Chesley painted Farook as an “isolated, introverted individual with no friends,” with coworkers who made fun of his facial hair, and suggested that Wednesday’s bloodbath may have been workplace violence rather than terrorism.

The family was "very traditional," Abuershaid said, describing Malik as a soft-spoken housewife.

FBI Director James Comey confirmed the shooting is now being investigated as terrorism, but stressed that there was "no indication" that either of the suspects belonged to a group, network or a terrorist cell.

"There is a lot of evidence in this case that doesn't quite make sense," so the FBI is trying to be "very thoughtful to understand it and to make sense of it," Comey said.

FBI investigating the attack as 'act of terrorism'

The FBI is now investigating the San Bernardino shooting as an act of terrorism, assistant director of LA Field Office David Bowdich told reporters at a press conference Friday.

The Bureau's investigators have recovered the destroyed cell phones and computers belonging to the suspects, and are sifting them for potential leads. Any data recovered would be the “potential golden nugget,” Bowdich said.

The FBI and the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department have told reporters that the suspected shooters' home is still an active crime scene. When CBS asked the landlord, Doyle Miller, why he let the media cameras inside, he replied: "I didn't. When I opened the door... they rushed."

The media swarmed the two-bedroom home after Doyle pried open the door with a crowbar.

When Mashable asked a spokesperson for the FBI in Los Angeles, she seemed shocked that the agency was allowing the public inside the apartment.

"My understanding is it is still an ongoing investigation," she said.

The landlord of the suspected San Bernardino shooters is giving the media a tour of the two-bedroom home shared by Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik in Redlands, California.

The female shooter in the San Bernardino, California massacre, Tashfeen Malik, pledged allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a Facebook post immediately before the attack, officials have told several news organizations.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department released photos of the suspects cache of weapons, evidence markers and the two vehicles shot up during the final gun battle ‒ the couple's rented SUV and a police car.

A growing collection of candle lights and flowers at the stadium.

People are exiting the stadium, leaving their candles in front of wreaths of flowers at the stadium, according to the LA Times.

The scene at the vigil.

The crowd joined in singing “God Bless America” during the vigil, stressing the phrase, “Home Sweet Home,” and breaking into applause.

Thousands turned out for a candlelight vigil at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday night, to try and provide solace to those mourning the dead.

"This was a tragedy I never experienced in my career," one of the first responding officers, Lt. Mike Madden told the press.

He said that dozens of people inside the building where the shooting happened were "fearful" of approaching police. He said this showed that the people may have still been worried that the gunmen were around.

"It was unspeakable, the carnage we were seeing," he said.

Here are the images law enforcement is presenting from the scene of the shootout between the suspects and police.

Police officials presented new images from the scene where the shootout between officers and the suspects occurred.

Chief Jarrod Burguan said police believe 75-80 people were at the banquet where the shooting occurred.

Eighteen of the 21 injured were county employees, Burguan said.

California Governor Jerry Brown expressed his condolences for victims of the shooting.

A vigil for victims is starting soon at San Manuel baseball stadium.

New images of explosive devices assembled by the shooting suspects have been obtained by CBS News. One image shows multiple pipe bombs inside of a large bag. Another shows a toy car connected to wires and what appear to be explosives.

03 December 2015

Officials are releasing the names of all the victims in the shooting.

California Governor Jerry Brown was planning to travel to Paris for the climate change talks, but has delayed his trip in order to travel to San Bernardino and assess the situation, the LA Times reported.

Brown will be on the scene Thursday, the newspaper said. He will arrive in Paris on Saturday.

The Senate has blocked a measure proposed by Democrats that would have allowed the attorney general to keep suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms. It failed in a 45-54 procedural vote, the Hill reported.

Another proposal to expand background checks to cover weapons purchased at gun shows and over the internet also failed in a 48-50 procedural vote.

St. Catherine school in Riverside, California is honoring the memory of a victim who has been identified by family: Damian Meins.

Two shooting victims at Loma Linda hospital are in critical condition while two others are fair, the facility's emergency medicine chief said. One person will be discharged today.

The Department of Motor Vehicles has released Syed Farook's driver's license photo, the Los Angeles Times reported.

One of the shooters in San Bernardino reportedly used social media to get in touch with extremists that were being watched by the FBI, the Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed intelligence source.

A woman from Roseburg, Oregon donated pizza to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department.

Roseburg is the home of Umpqua Community College, where Chris Harper Mercer shot and killed 10 people (including himself) and injured nine others at the beginning of October.

There were still bodies in the Inland Regional Center Thursday morning, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon. They have all since been removed, the coroner's office told KNBC's Adrian Arambulo.

Despite initial reports of a third suspect, the person detained during the manhunt had nothing to do with the IRC shooting, but was wanted in connection with a different case, Chief Burguan explained.

Out of respect for the country employees and their relative that were killed in the attack, all non-essential operations in San Bernardino County will be shut down Thursday and Friday, according to County Sheriff John McMahon.

It would be "irresponsible and premature of me to call this terrorism," said the FBI's Bowdich, adding that the Bureau defines terrorism very specifically. "The big question for us is what is the motivation for this?"

According to the FBI, terrorism is “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”

A report from one of the people at the holiday party about Farook acting strangely and storming off had helped the police identify him as a suspect, Chief Burguan explained.

The SBPD would try and release the names of the victims of Wednesday's attack by the end of the day Thursday, Chief Burguan said.

County Sheriff McMahon clarified that the release of the names will follow notifications to the next of kin, however.

"I would much rather be slower and correct" about the information that is released, "than fast and incorrect," FBI's David Bowdich told reporters.

"We do not yet know the motive," Bowdich said, adding it would be "irresponsible" and "way too early" to speculate.

While Farook was a "US person," his wife was in the US since mid-2014, on a K-1 visa (foreign citizen fiancee) and a Pakistani passport, Bowdich added.

San Bernardino Police Chief Burguan confirmed that all four weapons used by the suspects in Wednesday's attack were "acquired legally."

The black SUV used by the suspects as a getaway vehicle was a Ford Expedition with Utah plates, rented three days prior, SBPD Chief Burguan told reporters.

Initial reports identified the vehicle as a GMC Yukon.

During the shoot-out, the police fired 380 rounds, while the suspects  fired 76 shots, Chief Burguan said at the press conference on Thursday.

The police "still don't have the motive" for the attack, the chief said, but there was "a degree of planning" involved.

Police found 1,400 rounds  for the .223-caliber rifle and 200 rounds of 9mm handgun ammunition in the suspects’ SUV. Twelve pipe bombs, 2,000 9mm rounds and 2,500 .223 caliber rounds were found at the suspects’ home.

Two officers were injured during the shoot-out, Chief Burguan said. Initial reports spoke of only one.

Wednesday's attack resulted in 14 confirmed dead and 21 wounded; the wounded are being treated at various local hospitals, according to SBPD chief Burguan.

Some 300 officers responded to the original report of the attack.

The suspects fired between 65-75 rounds during the attack; they had three pipe bombs combined into one, with a radio control remote that apparently did not work.

The suspects were not wearing body armor, but black "tactical gear," Chief Burguan said.

Syed Farook's visit to Saudi Arabia was for the Hajj pilgrimage, according to CBS.

The American society must take “basic steps” to make it harder for people to obtain access to weapons, Obama said, noting that it is “just too easy” to do harm to others right now.

“It is possible that this was terrorist-related, but we don’t know,” US President Barack Obama said in a statement about the San Bernardino shooting.

"We do not yet know why this terrible event occurred," the president said, saying it was possible the attack might be workplace-related as well.

“We don’t know why they did it. We don’t know the extent of their plans. We do not know their motivations,” he said about the two suspects, killed in the shoot-out with the police Wednesday afternoon.

The FBI has taken over the investigation, Obama said.

The suspects were armed with two .223-caliber assault rifles, which the police identified as a DPMS and a Smith & Wesson MMP 15.

They also had two semi-automatic hand guns, manufactured by llama and Smith & Wesson, according to San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan.

All four weapons were bought legally, four years ago, according to Meredith Davis of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Two people injured in Wednesday's attack remain in critical condition at the Loma Linda University Medical Center, the hospital spokesman said. Three others, along with the police officer injured in the shoot-out with the suspects, were in "fair condition," according to KTLA.

San Bernardino police say that they believe there were only two suspects in Wednesday's attack at the Inland Regional Center, whom they identified as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28 and Tashfeen Malik, 27.

Both Farook and Malik were killed in a shoot-out with the police on Wednesday evening. A third person was seen leaving the area and was taken into custody. SBPD chief Jarrod Burguan said it is not clear if he was directly involved in the attack.

Initial eyewitness reports mentioned three male attackers, wearing ski masks and body armor.

CAIR called a press conference following the shooting, where Farook’s brother-in-law Farhan Khan appeared, sharing the shock and sadness that now grips the family.

"Why would he do that? Why would he do something like this? I have absolutely no idea, I am in shock myself," he told reporters in Anaheim. "The reason I am here is to express [for] my family … how sad they are for what happened. I’m very sad people lost their lives and there are victims out there,” he was quoted by the LA Times as saying.

CAIR has appealed to everyone not to jump to conclusions.

The suspects' motives remains unclear to the police and FBI, but there is still no concrete connection to a terrorist plot. Meanwhile, the LA Times reported that Farook earlier traveled to Saudi Arabia, later returning with wife, Malik.

According to the Council on American-Islamic relations (CAIR), the couple - now thought to be the only suspects - left a six-month old daughter behind with their grandmother on Wednesday morning. They hadn't been heard from for some time before the shooting.

Reports that a second suspect has been identified as Tayyeep Bin Ardogan, a 28-year-old Qatari citizen, are false, according to the LA Times reporter who initially reported the news.

The brother-in-law of Syed Farook, Farhan Khan, condemned the attack during a press conference held by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The group itself also condemned the attack.

"I have no idea why he would do that, why he would do something like this," Khan said, referring to his relative.

“I just cannot express how sad I am for what happened. Condolences to the people who lost their lives, and to the victims out there. I wish them swift recovery. I am in shock.”  

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said that a weapon that was found was bought illegally, according to CNN. 

An LA Times reporter says the San Bernardino police have identified a suspect in the case as Tayyeep Bin Ardogan, a 28-year-old Qatari citizen. Fox News is also reporting this name.

According to CNN, law enforcement is using a robot to explore a Redlands apartment and ensure it is not booby-trapped.

Multiple news outlets are reporting that one suspect has been identified as Syed Farook. More details can be found below, including reports of law enforcement recordings noting that Farook was present at the IRC building before leaving.

Video footage has emerged from inside the IRC at the time of the shooting, courtesy of KPCC Radio. In the video, an officer can be seen trying to lead people to safety.

"Try to relax, try to relax. I'll take a bullet before you do, that's for damn sure," the officer is heard saying.

NBC News is citing "multiple agencies" to report that one suspect's name is Syed Farook. Another suspect is reportedly believed to be Farook's brother, while the female suspect has not been identified.

Authorities have not officially confirmed any suspect identities.

The FBI is currently raiding a Redlands apartment from which the two dead suspects left, before becoming involved in a shootout with police, CNN reported.

According to the LA Times, officials believe the lead gunman was an American citizen.

Police are currently serving a warrant in the Redlands area, according to the LA Times. 

Images from the scene show police vehicles in the area.

Assistant Director from FBI Los Angeles David Dowdich said he is "still not willing" to say the attack was terrorism, though he said "it is a possibility." He also said the relationship between the two deceased suspects is unknown.

Police Chief Burgian said the suspects were dressed in "assault-style clothing," and armed with assault rifles and hand guns.

He said that police are dealing with "sensitive stuff" around the vehicle and are working to ensure it is safe from explosives.

Two suspects in relation to the shooting are dead, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said at a press conference. Both people were in the SUV and engaged in a gun battle with officers, he said. One person was male and the other was female.

A third person was seen running away from the scene, Burguan said. This person has been detained, but it's unclear if they are related to the incident, he said.

A Loma Linda hospital spokesperson says the facility is not expecting any more patients related to the shooting tonight.

Five patients have been taken to Loma Linda hospital, the facility said, according to ABC 7 News. Two people are in critical but stable condition, two others are in fair condition, and one other is still being assessed.

Police are serving a search warrant at a home on Center and Pine in Redlands in relation to the shooting at IRC, says Carl Baker of The San Bernardino Sun.

Update on the San Bernardino shoot-out suspects: One was gunned down by police outside the SUV. Another was inside the SUV - KABC is now saying it was a woman. A third suspect is believed to be on the loose, and the police are searching southeastern San Bernardino and Redlands.

A San Bernardino resident recorded the shoot-out between the suspects and the police on Snapchat.

Meanwhile, San Bernardino has convened an emergency City Council meeting for 6:30 p.m. local time, open to the public.

According to a LA Times reporter, the FBI has a theory about the shooting at the IRC on Wednesday morning.

Quoting a "senior federal official who is monitoring the case", the LA Times said the investigators believe one of the shooters "left the party after getting into an argument and returned with one or two armed companions."

The group holding the holiday party, rather than the service center itself, may have been the target of the attack, the federal investigators said.

According to Marybeth Feild of the IRC, the San Bernardino County Public Health Department had rented the conference room where the shooting took place, and was hosting a banquet.

Three young men were arrested during the manhunt near the Victoria Elementary School in San Bernardino.

Police say these are not the shooters, but were arrested for impeding police work by "goofing around with cameras."

Residents of southeastern San Bernardino are being asked to stay in their homes and lock the doors, as police are hunting for the remaining suspect.

Heavily armed police have been spotted on Victoria Avenue in southern San Bernardino, near the residential neighborhood where police are going house-to-house in search of one of the suspects.

 

Police in San Bernardino have surrounded a home where they believe one of the suspects in Wednesday's IRC mass shooting may be located.

One suspect has been hit, and another is "still outstanding," San Bernardino Police spokeswoman Sgt. Cervantes told reporters.

Officers exchanged fire with the suspects in a black SUV. Cervantes could not tell who fired first.

There are currently two suspects "being dealt with", but it is possible a third is still on the loose, Cervantes said.

One officer was wounded in the shootout and transported to a local hospital, but the injury is not believed to be life-threatening.

LA mayor Eric Garcetti has offered assistance to San Bernardino.

02 December 2015

Law enforcement officials are saying that a pipe bomb was recovered from the suspects inside the SUV.

The shoot-out with the suspects in a dark SUV took place outside the home of Jesus Gonzales, whose wife is still inside the building.

San Bernardino police are moving in on a residence where one suspect from the black SUV may have escaped to.

Meanwhile, the Loma Linda University Medical Center has received an all-clear on the bomb threat reported earlier, but remains on high alert. Several of the wounded in the San Bernardino attack are being treated at LLUMC.

There is still no official confirmation if the suspects involved in a shootout with the police in San Bernardino are the same people who attacked the IRC earlier on Wednesday, but police apparently believe so.

One suspect is in police custody, according to KCBS.

However, San Bernardino PD spokeswoman, Sgt. Vicky Cervantes, could not confirm if the shootout was related to the IRC attack.

The total number of injured in the San Bernardino IRC shooting has gone up to 17, according to the sheriff's department.

Six of the wounded are being treated at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, and their injuries are not life-threatening.

One of the suspects may be barricaded inside a nearby home, according to police scanner traffic, which also indicates two suspects are down - one outside the SUV, the other inside.

A suspect is down and may have been killed. Footage from KABC shows a bullet-riddled black SUV on a San Bernardino street. No information yet if it may be related to Wednesday's attack at IRC.

San Bernardino police are pursuing a black SUV. According to scanner traffic, shots have been fired from the back window of the SUV, and one officer is injured.

Here is a picture of the Inland Regional Center, where 14 people were killed and another 14 injured in an attack on Wednesday.

Governor Jerry Brown has canceled the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony that was scheduled for tomorrow, and ordered flags in California lowered to half-mast to honor the victims of the San Bernardino attack.

A nurse working at the IRC recorded this video when the shooting started, believing it to be a regular monthly drill.

Police are still sweeping the Inland Regional Center, having found only one "suspicious package" and no trace of the attackers that left 14 dead and another 14 injured earlier today.

The survivors are being interviewed by the San Bernardino police and federal agents. After that, they will be reunited with their families at the Hernandez Center.

Three suspects are still at large, and the authorities are on the lookout for a "dark-colored SUV."

The Loma Linda University Medical Center, where at least six of the victims of the San Bernardino attack are being treated, is reporting a bomb threat.

Civilians evacuated from the IRC will be reunited with their families at Hernandez Center, on 222 N. Lugo Avenue in San Bernardino, officials are saying.

However, it appears that reporters are crowding the area, and the police are complaining about it:

San Bernardino authorities have used city buses to transport the civilians rescued from the services center targeted in today's attack.

"We do not know where the suspects are," Burguan said.

"They came prepared to do what they did, as if they were on a mission," he added.

The police do not have any information if the shooters said anything during the attack.

No weapons were recovered at the IRC, which remains the "only active scene" in the investigation.

He described the case as "a domestic terrorist type situation" at the moment.

There were multiple attackers, who "came prepared," said SBPD Chief Burguan. They were armed with "long guns", not handguns.

"We do not know" if this is terrorism, David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI's LA office, told reporters.

At least 14 people were killed and another 14 wounded in the attack at the IRC, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said at the press conference.

It appears that reports of a shooting at Patton Hospital were a false alarm. The hospital confirms - no shooting there.

Area hospitals are reporting 10 patients of the San Bernardino attack so far, with 3 more expected, according to KTLA.

After-school programs in San Bernardino city schools have also been canceled.

The Waterman Discount Mall, on N. Waterman Ave. and 9th Street in San Bernardino, is reportedly being evacuated after reports of a gunman sighting.

The suspect was described as "Middle eastern male. Long beard. Possible camo shorts," according to police chatter posted on Twitter.

Police are clarifying that the SWAT situation in Pasadena has absolutely nothing to do with the San Bernardino shooting and pursuit of suspects.

San Bernardino City Hall is also on lockdown.

A police press conference is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. local time.

There were reports that a SWAT situation in Pasadena, north of Los Angeles, could be related to the San Bernardino shootings. However, Pasadena Police said this was not the case.

The San Bernardino school district has put area schools on lockdown as a precaution. Suspects in the shooting at the IRC are still on the loose, according to the police.

IRC employees are saying the shooting happened at the auditorium building, where a holiday party for San Bernardino County workers was underway.

“From what I’ve heard, the casualties were from an event hosted by an outside organization," IRC employee Brandon Hunt told KABC. “I was told that it was a banquet for county personnel.”

Politicians react on social media

San Bernardino authorities have released the address of a community center where residents can inquire about the fate of their loved ones, while the police continue to clear the Inland Regional Center looking for suspects in the shooting.

According to multiple witnesses, the shooting happened around 11 a.m. local time, at a conference facility where an event was taking place. Some reports say it was a holiday party.

San Bernardino police say up to 20 people were shot in the attack, and have confirmed that there were fatalities. The LA Times, quoting federal investigators, said at least 3 people were killed.

Police are still searching the three buildings at the IRC complex in San Bernardino. Civilians escorted from the buildings earlier are being evacuated by school buses.

A video of police in San Bernardino reacting to reports of the shooting at Inland Regional Center.

Government officials and presidential candidates have been reacting to the news of a shooting at a San Bernardino facility serving persons with disabilities.

Following the reports of a shooting at Patton State Hospital, a psychiatric facility about 5 miles from the IRC, one of the hospitals that took in patients from the attack has been put on lockdown.

Police are responding to a report of shots fired at Patton Hospital, about five miles from the IRC.

At least 3 people have been killed, KNBC reports citing local authorities.

"There are fatalities," Sgt. Cervantes told the LA Times, but did not give the number.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just put in place a temporary flight restriction over San Bernardino.

News helicopters are being ordered away from the site.

The shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino left "up to 20 people injured," theLos Angeles Times reported citing federal law enforcement sources.

"At least three suspected shooters" may have left the scene in a black SUV, the federal agents told LA Times. Investigators believe one shooter may still be inside the building.

The nearby Planned Parenthood facility was not targeted in the attack, PP officials have confirmed.

“My son, he works in the facility, he said the alarms went off and they were all told down to hide and stay in place. The police told him that they’re going to load them on buses, I guess to interview them,” a witness told CNN.

“What I understand is that there were three shooters that went in, [my son] said he didn’t hear or see them. Supposedly they left and took off in an SUV,” he added.

The San Bernardino school district is saying that no city schools have been put on lockdown.

President Obama has been briefed on the situation by Homeland Security officials.

There have been multiple unofficial reports of a single suspect, named Farook Syed, who had left the building prior to the shooting.

However, witnesses have reported multiple shooters "wearing ski masks," according to KABC.

Police are looking for a black GMC Yukon SUV, unconfirmed reports indicate.

Police are telling KABC that the shooters may have left the scene.

Witnesses told police that the shooters were wearing ski masks and armed with rifles, KABC reported.

They may also be wearing body armor, Sergeant Vicki Cervantes, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino Police Department, told reporters.

“It’s a very active scene,” Cervantes said. “It’s very fluid.”

Police and emergency responders are taking the evacuated civilians to the nearby golf course, according to reports from the scene.

Multiple patients have been transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center. The emergency room there is in "disaster mode" and expecting an influx of patients, the hospital told KABC.

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center is also expecting to receive patients, KCBS reported.

The nearby Soar Charter Middle School has been put on lockdown, but everyone inside is safe at the moment, Director Kristin Kraus told CNN by phone.

The San Bernardino PD’s SWAT team was training nearby when the call came in of multiple shots fired just before 11 a.m. local time, Lieutenant Richard Lawhead told KTLA. They were already suited up and “ready to roll,” which is why they were able to respond so quickly.

Civilians are being led away from the building, as police search for the shooters, who are reportedly armed with rifles.

A "suspicious device" inside the building has been found, and the police intend to detonate it remotely, using a robot.

Local police and fire department have been joined by California Highway Patrol troopers and federal agents - FBI and ATF so far, according to reports.

KABC Los Angeles is reporting 12 confirmed fatalities at the San Bernardino Inland Regional Center (IRC), at 1365 S Waterman Avenue.

The IRC is a facility of the California Department of Developmental Services, offering help to persons with disabilities.