Terrible news coming out of Isla Vista, California, near the University of California-Santa Barbara, where seven people were shot and killed last night by a gunman in a “premeditated mass murder.” Seven more, according to CNN, were injured and are “being treated in a hospital for gunshot wounds or traumatic injuries, including at least one who was in surgery, said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.”
The violence began and ended within minutes, from 9:27 p.m. when shots were reported to around 10 minutes later when police discovered the body of the suspected gunman.
“Sheriff’s deputies responded and found several victims suffering from gunshot wounds. As sheriff’s deputies were attending to the victims and performing first aid, they were also receiving suspect information. Only minutes later, there were additional reports of shots fired in several other areas of Isla Vista,” Hoover said.
KEYT reported that “witnesses described seeing a black BMW speeding through the streets, spraying bullets at people.” Six minutes after the first emergency call, the suspected gunman traded fire with sheriff’s deputies, and the vehicle plowed into a parked vehicle. (Via)
The suspected gunman, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger, was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound and apparently acted alone. But hours before the shooting, he left behind a manifesto of sorts on YouTube, saying, “Girls gave their affection and sex and love to other men but never to me.” He later added, “After I’ve annihilated every single girl in the sorority house, I’ll take to the streets of Isla Vista and slay every single person I see there. If I can’t have you, girls, I will destroy you.”
UPDATE: the video below was posted to Reddit four days ago, under the headline, “He’s magnificent but no girl will ever give him a chance.” Sample comment: “If this isn’t a troll, then I bet we find out this guy is a serial killer.”