A Highway Patrol officer in Tustin directs traffic after the shooting. Via San Gabriel Tribune.
An early morning shooting in Tustin, California, has already left four people dead, including the shooter, according to local authorities, reports the San Gabriel Tribune. The shooting involved several carjackings along the 55 Freeway in Southern California. The shooter has been named as 20 year old, Ali Syed.
1. The Shooting Began at Around 4:45 a.m.
Orange County Sheriff’s department said that the officers responded to reports of a shooting at a house in Ladera Ranch, California. Sheriff’s deputies found a female shot multiple times at the residence, reports Southern California Public Radio.
View Tustin Shooting in a larger map
The home in Ladera Ranch, is here on Red Leaf Lane, the residence of Ali Syed’s family.
It’s not known what connection, if any, Syed had to the victim in the house. It is known that he fled the first crime scene in a black SUV.
2. Syed Then Went on Spree
View Tustin Shooting in a larger map
Between 4:45 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. authorities responded to calls in six different locations, from Ladera Ranch to Tustin, all located in Orange County, California. The locations indicated on the map are where the roadside fatalities occurred.
Syed was then involved in a carjacking at Red Hill Avenue and Nissan Road after he reportedly crashed his black SUV. Witnesses to the carjacking said the man had two long-range weapons reports ABC 7.
From there Syed performed another carjacking near the 55 Freeway off ramp at McFadden Avenue and Village Way in Santa Ana, in this instance Syed killed the motorist. ABC 7 then reports that the man:
…then drove to the Micro Center parking lot near the 1100 block of East Edinger and Newport Avenue in Tustin. Two additional victims, identified as construction workers, were reportedly shot there.
One of the victims, a plumber, was killed. The other was shot in the arm and rushed to hospital. Soon after Syed was stopped at Wanda Road and Katella Avenue, near the Freeway, the shooter took his own life at this point.
3. Four People are dead
Via The Orange County Register
Four people in total have been killed, including Syed, who shot himself, according to the Orange County Register.
Tustin police: There was no pursuit. Officers identified the vehicle, and then suspect got out and shot himself
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) February 19, 2013
4. Two Others were Wounded; Both are Currently being Treated at a Local Hospital
A Body Bag in Tustin. Photo via @newsbreaker
The Register also reports that many more shots were fired at passing motorists but only two wounded was reported. At least one bystander was shot by Syed. Another was a construction worker who was shot in the arm.
5. Tustin is Located 35 miles South East of Downtown Los Angeles
6. The Shooting Lasted for 25 Minutes
7. One of His Victims Has Been Named as 69 Year Old Melvin Lee Edward
Syed carjacked Melvin Lee Edward, 69, Edward was driving a BMW. Edward was ordered to walk to the sidewalk, then Syed executed the man. Edward was resident of the Laguna Hills section of Orange County.
8. Another was Named as Jeremy Lewis
Jeremy Lewis via Facebook
Lewis was shot near the parking lot where Syed carjacked his second pick-up truck. Lewis, 26, worked as a plumber and was from Fullerton, California.
9. Police Are Still Without a Motive For Any of the Killings
Authorities are currently analyzing six different crime scenes but have no leads nor motive for the killings so far. No possible accomplices are being sought.
10. In 2009 Tustin was Chosen by Forbes as One of the top 25 Towns to Live Well in America
Tustin is the home of many movie and sports stars thanks to its location just south of Los Angeles.