SAN BERNADINO (KRON) — One suspect has been killed and another is in custody following Wednesday’s mass shooting at a health services facility in San Bernardino.
Authorities had been searching for a dark-colored sport utility vehicle that fled the scene of the shooting at the Inland Regional Center located in the 1300 block of S. Waterman.
Images from the scene show the suspect’s deceased body face down across the street from a bullet-riddled SUV. A long, assault rifle-style weapon is seen near the suspect’s feet.
The shootout follows an intense manhunt for the gunmen that opened fire inside the center killing 14 people and wounding at least 14 others.
The motive for the shooting is unknown, and there were no known threats targeting the facility prior to the shooting, according to San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan.
At this point it is described as a “domestic terrorist type situation,” according to Burguan.
PHOTO GALLERY: View photos from scene of California mass shooting
The president and CEO of the Southern California social services center where the gunmen opened fire says the shooting happened in a conference area where the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health was having a banquet.
Marybeth Feild of the Inland Regional Center was not at the facility but says she is in contact with many employees. She says they told her the shooting happened Wednesday during a banquet for the health department.
The shooters were inside the building for several minutes, Burguan said. Most of the shooting victims were killed and wounded in same area.
According to witness accounts, the shooters stormed one of the buildings at the facility and opened fire inside of a conference room.
Sgt. Vicki Cervantes, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino Police Department, said there may be as many as three shooters. The suspects are believed to be wearing military-style body armor and are heavily armed.
Police confirmed the incident on Twitter in a post sent around 11:30 a.m. that there was an active shooter.
Terry Petit told reporters that his daughter, who works at the center, sent a text message saying she was hiding in the building: “People shot. In the office waiting for cops. Pray for us. I am locked in an office.”
SWAT officers quickly responded on the scene to ensure there was no active threat, San Bernardino police Lt. Richard Lawhead told KTLA. Images from the scene show several people being evacuated from the building.
Nearly 670 staff members at the Inland Regional Center provide services to 30,200 people including those with disabilities and specializes in support for those with mild to severe autism, according to the agency’s Facebook page.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is advising people to avoid the area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
