Reports: San Bernardino Shooting Suspects Syed Farook, Tashfeen Malik Were Married, Both Now Dead

Wednesday’s deadly shooting is believed to have been carried out by a local married couple.

Late Wednesday night San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan (photo) identified the two suspects believed to have carried out the largest mass murder since Sandy Hook: Syed Rezwan Farook, 28, a U.S. citizen, and Tashfeen Malik, 27. (Some reports are spelling his name Syed Rizwan Farook.) Both were wearing “assault-style clothing” and escaped in a black SUV when police surrounded them after a chase.

They were killed in a shootout with 21 police officers. Chief Burguan told reporters Farook had worked for five years as an environmental specialist with the county health department, and had left the office holiday party held in a rented event space at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, angry, before returning.

Chief Burguan noted they believe there are no other suspects, contrary to earlier reports.

The LA Times reports Farook and Malik “were married two years ago, according to Malik’s brother.” The couple Wednesday morning “dropped their daughter off with Farook’s mother in Redlands, saying they had a doctor’s appointment.”

Earlier Wednesday, Chief Burguan had said of the attack, “There had to be some degree of planning that went into this.”

The FBI has not ruled out terrorism but also late Wednesday night was not prepared to call it that. Others have suggested this was workplace violence. 

As events unfolded, people on social media began venting frustration with pro-gun politicians who took to Twitter to offer “thoughts and prayers” but have blocked gun legislation.

Quickly, an explosion of tweets lambasting mostly Republicans for praying but not acting was unleashed, and later, the NY Daily News unveiled its front page, titled, “God Isn’t Fixing This.”

For a complete timeline of yesterday’s shooting see our report: UPDATING: Active Mass Shooting In California, 14 People Dead, 17 Others Injured.