One of those dead was the alleged shooter, whom the Los Angeles Times has identified as John Zawahri, citing five law enforcement sources in Los Angeles and Washington. Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said at a press conference Saturday that the shooter was 23-years-old on Friday, and would have turned 24 on Saturday. She declined to identify him at this point, saying the family had not yet been notified.
Seabrooks described the suspect as “a cowardly murderer.”
The incident began around 11:50 Pacific Time on Friday, at a house near Kansas Avenue and Yorkshire Avenue. Santa Monica Fire Department Chief Scott Ferguson said at the press conference Saturday that the approximately “thousand square foot residence” was “engulfed” in flames. Two bodies were discovered on the preliminary sweep and Ferguson said it was clear at that point that they would not be able to resuscitate the victims.
Ferguson said he could not release the information about how the two persons in the house had died, whether they been shot or killed by the fire. The fire, he said, is “under investigation,” but that it “doesn’t appear an accelerant was used” to ignite the fire.
Sources told the L.A. Times that the two victims were the alleged shooter’s father and brother. Seabrooks confirmed a “familial” connection to the house, but could not confirm the victims.
The alleged shooter then flagged down a car and forced the female shooter at gunpoint to drive him to nearby Santa Monica College. Seabrooks said he told the driver he would kill her, and she was “obviously terrified.” She drove him to the College and then left when given the opportunity.
He fired several shots in the neighborhood of the house. During the drive, he allegedly fired at a Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, one of the public buses.
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