ISIS says shooters were “supporters” but doesn’t claim responsibility

A statement from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria on Saturday said the couple who carried out the San Bernardino mass shooting Wednesday were, “supporters” of the extremist group.

However, the group stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attack that killed 14 people at a company Christmas party.

The statement from ISIS comes a day after the Federal Bureau of Investigation officially termed the shooting as an act of terrorism.

“We are now investigating these horrific acts as an act of terrorism,” FBI Assistant Director David Bowdich said during a press conference.

The suspects, identified as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, were killed by police after a shooting in San Bernardino at the Inland Regional Center, a facility that works with the developmentally disabled. They are the only suspects in the case. They are not believed to be attached to a terror group, cell or network.

Neither suspect was on any agency’s radar prior to the shooting, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said. Malik was later reported to have expressed her allegiance to an Islamic State leader on social media under a different name in a since-deleted post.

Farook’s family attorneys said he was not involved with any terrorist group nor held extremist views. They also said he had no real friends and that his coworkers often mocked him because of his beard and religion.

The suspects allegedly first opened fire at the center during a holiday-themed luncheon. Burguan said the suspects fired 65-75 rounds before fleeing the area.

Burguan said officers were tipped off that the suspects may have been hiding in a home after the shooting. When a vehicle was seen leaving the home, officers began pursuit.

The pursuit culminated in a shootout with police, during which both suspects were killed. Both were wearing “assault-style clothing” and were armed with rifles and handguns.

On Thursday, police released the named of the 14 people who were killed in the shooting.

The victims on the list, which can be seen in full below, range from 26 to 60 years old. Many lived in surrounding communities and were attending a holiday-themed luncheon.

The victims are as follows:

Shannon Johnson, 45, of Los Angeles
Bennetta Bet-Badal, 46, of Rialto
Aurora Godoy, 26, of San Jacinto
Isaac Amanios, 60, of Fontana
Larry Kaufman, 42, of Rialto
Harry Bowman, 46, of Upland
Yvette Velasco, 27, of Fontana
Sierra Clayborn, 27, of Moreno Valley
Robert Adams, 40, of Yucaipa
Nicholas Thalasinos, 52, of Colton
Tin Nguyen, 31, of Santa Ana
Juan Espinoza, 50, of Highland
Damian Meins, 58, of Riverside
Michael Wetzel, 37, of Lake Arrowhead

Earlier Thursday, police said the home of two suspect killed after the mass shooting on Wednesday was full of pipe bombs and ammunition.

Burguan said authorities found three rigged-together pipe bombs with a remote-control detonating device that apparently malfunctioned, 12 other pipe bombs 2,000 9mm rounds, 2,500 .223-caliber rounds and hundreds of long rifle rounds in the rented home. Hundreds of tools that could be used to make improvised explosive devices were also found.

Federal authorities said that the two assault rifles and two handguns used in the San Bernardino massacre that left 14 dead and 21 others injured were all purchased legally in the United States — two of them by someone who’s now under investigation.

The FBI said the two suspects were married. They had a 6-month-old daughter, whom they left with relatives, saying they had a doctor’s appointment. They arrived in the United States in June 2014.

Farook, a U.S. citizen, was a county health department worker who attended a holiday party at the center in the morning. Police said he left the party early, seemingly upset, and later returned and opened fire.

At a press conference held by the Los Angeles chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, Farook’s brother-in-law Farhad Khan said he was deeply saddened and shocked to hear what had happened.

“I have no idea why he would do that, why he would do something like this,” he said.

A police officer was injured in the gunfight, but is expected to fully recover.

The director of the CAIR-LA office Hussam Ayloush said the organization “unequivocally condemns” Wednesday’s shooting.

“We stand in solidarity with fellow Americans as we offer our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the injured and the families of those who have been killed,” he said during a press conference. “We stand in solidarity in repudiating any possible ideology or mindset that led to this horrific act.”

“These were people who came prepared,” Burguan said of the suspects.

At least one explosive device was found in the facility, Burguan said. The device consisted of three connected pipe bombs with a remote control that apparently did not work.

Terry Pettit told ABC 7 his daughter was inside when the shooting started. He said his daughter texted him to let him know someone had opened fire inside and she was locked inside an office with other workers.

Marybeth Feild of the Inland Regional Center said “the incident is in the conference area” that an outside group was renting Wednesday. She said she is not at the center, which serves people with developmental disabilities and does not know what outside group rented the center.

News helicopter footage showed people leaving the facility with their hands up.

People are escorted into the San Bernardino golf club after active shooter took place at Inland Regional Center pic.twitter.com/Afv1MxXp0K

— Micah Escamilla (@MicahEscamilla) December 2, 2015

Several triage sites were set up around the facility.

At least 18 ambulances were seen leaving the scene. Victims were taken to the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and Loma Linda Medical University Medical Center. The latter was reportedly going to a “disaster-type” response to deal with the volume of victims.

One victim treated at the Arrowhead center had bullet fragments removed from his body, according to a police scanner.

The San Bernardino Fire Department said in a tweet all critical patients were treated within 15 minutes, praising the assisting agencies for all their help.

President Barack Obama was brought up to date on the shooting. The White House said he was briefed by his homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, and has asked to be kept informed as the situation develops.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department’s tip line at 800-78-CRIME.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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