The suspects in Wednesday’s deadly mass shooting in San Bernardino were “clearly” well equipped, and had the capability to carry out a much lengthier, deadlier attack, according to local sheriff’s deputies, who released images capturing some of the attackers’ weapon supply.
Five photos, released Thursday, showed not only the suspects’ bullet-ridden SUV, but a deputy vehicle that was also shot, evidence markers, a bag of ammunition, and two handguns and two additional firearms.
The images came from the scene of a shootout between Syed Farook, 28, his wife Tashfeen Malik, 27, and 23 law enforcement officials from seven different agencies.
Seventy-six rounds were fired from Farook and Malik during the gun battle, but the two had more than 1,400 .223-caliber rounds and over 200 9 mm rounds on them or inside their SUV at the time.
The suspects died at the scene, and two officers were injured but expected to survive.
When paired with evidence found at the initial shooting scene at the Inland Regional Center — which included three pipe bombs and four high-capacity .223 rifle magazines — and weapons at a Redlands home they may have rented — including 12 additional pipe bomb-type devices — investigators said Wednesday’s tragedy could have been much worse.
“Clearly, they were equipped and they could have continued to do another attack,” San Bernardino police Chief Jarrod Burguan said. “We intercepted them before that happened, obviously.”
Inside the Redlands home, where the couple was spotted leaving on Wednesday, leading to a pursuit and the eventual shoot out, hundreds of tools that could be used to make pipe bombs or IEDs were found, along with 2,000 9 mm rounds, more than 2,500 .223 rounds, and several hundred .22 long-rifle rounds, officials said Thursday.
Investigators were led to the Redlands home after following a tip from the initial scene in San Bernardino, where 14 people were fatally shot and 21 others were injured.
While sheriff’s officials worked to identify all the victims, whose names were also released Thursday, they also continued to investigate the motive behind the attacks.
A possible work dispute and terrorism were among the theories being investigated, and an FBI official said that day that “we cannot rule anything out at this point.”
Farook worked for the County of San Bernardino Department of Public Health, which was hosting the holiday luncheon where the shooting occurred.
He was also said to be an American citizen who had recently traveled to other countries, including Pakistan, where his wife Malik was from.