FORD
10-12-2011, 10:33 PM
8 killed in Seal Beach hair salon shooting
Suspect picked up by police near scene of massacre.
From staff and wire reports
Long Beach Press Telegram
Posted:10/12/2011 02:40:18 PM PDT
SEAL BEACH Eight people were killed and one injured Wednesday in a shooting at a Seal Beach hair salon, and a suspect was taken into custody.
The shooting occurred at about 1:21 p.m. at Salon Meritage in the 500 block of Pacific Coast Highway, according to Sgt. Steve Bowles of the Seal Beach Police Department.
Six people were found dead throughout the salon, Seal Beach police Sgt. Steve Bowles said. Three other victims two men and a 73-year-old woman were taken to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, where two of them subsequently died, he said.
Bowles said a suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting "without incident" about a half-mile from the salon.
"The officers identified the (suspect's) vehicle as it was leaving the location," Bowles told the station. "They followed it and made a traffic stop and took the driver into custody."
One of the officers who responded to the shots-fired call spotted the suspect leaving the parking lot, Bowles said. Within minutes, the unidentified man was arrested without incident about a half-mile from the salon, the sergeant said, describing the man as cooperative.
"We feel very confident we have the single and only suspect in custody," Bowles said.
A witness said that when the man was arrested he appeared to be wearing body armor.
Bowles said investigators were working to determine a motive, and were unsure if the suspect had any connection to the salon.
But a former salon employee, Lidia Sosa, told reporters that the suspect, whom she identified as "Scott," shot and killed his ex-wife. The two were embroiled in a custody battle, according to Sosa, who went to the crime scene when she heard the news.
The salon owner was among those killed in the attack, Sosa said. "The only thing I can tell you is (he) is in heaven tonight," she said.
Other witnesses identified the owner as Randy Fannin.
He was just one of the nicest guys, the salt of the earth, a great guy, said Leanne Crawford, who has been a client at the salon.
Her daughter, Harmony Crawford, 10, had also had her hair cut by Fannin.
He was more like a best friend than a stylist, she said.
Lorainne Bruielle, a salon employee who was not working Wednesday, identified the gunman as the husband or ex-husband of another employee.
Bruielle, who talked to the husband of one of the employees involved, said that one employee locked herself in the salon's facial room and was unharmed; another man locked himself in a bathroom but was wounded.
Another bystander, who declined to be identified, said, "He's crazy."
Police could not immediately confirm the bystanders' information.
"To preserve the integrity of this investigation we will not share any information about the shooter at this point," Bowles said late this afternoon.
Bowles said victims were found "throughout the entire salon," and "there are survivors from inside the salon that escaped without harm."
"It appears that the salon was busy at the time and it appears almost every hair station, if you will, was occupied," he said.
Jesse Barton of Long Beach said that his girlfriend, who works at another business in the shopping center, spoke with the owner of a pet grooming business who was the first to enter the salon next door following the shooting.
She described it like a scene in a horror movie. There were bodies and blood everywhere, Barton said.
One of the critically wounded survivors was found outside the salon in the parking lot, Bowles said, while the rest of the victims were located inside the business.
A weapon was recovered when the suspect was arrested, Bowles said, adding that the suspect apparently told the officers he had other weapons in his pickup truck.
Anyone concerned that a loved one was shot was encouraged to call Seal Beach police at 562-799-4100, Bowles said.
Family and friends of the victims had gathered across the street from the salon at the Marina Wedding Chapel at the Seal Beach Center for Spiritual Living, 500 Marina Dr. Many were hugging each other and crying.
One man who declined to give his name was clearly distraught.
"I don't have much to say," the man said. "My dad's dead."
Among those waiting to hear news of the victims was Jeannie Nagle, 46, who went to high school with one of the hair stylists and feared her friend had been killed.
This just doesn't happen in Seal Beach, Nagle said.
Multiple law enforcement jurisdictions responded to the scene, including Long Beach Police Department, Cypress Police Department, Los Alamitos Police Department, Orange County Sheriff's Department, Orange County Fire Department and Huntington Beach Fire Department.
Staff writers Tracy Manzer, Greg Mellen and Phillip Zonkel contributed to this report, along with City News Service.
Suspect picked up by police near scene of massacre.
From staff and wire reports
Long Beach Press Telegram
Posted:10/12/2011 02:40:18 PM PDT
SEAL BEACH Eight people were killed and one injured Wednesday in a shooting at a Seal Beach hair salon, and a suspect was taken into custody.
The shooting occurred at about 1:21 p.m. at Salon Meritage in the 500 block of Pacific Coast Highway, according to Sgt. Steve Bowles of the Seal Beach Police Department.
Six people were found dead throughout the salon, Seal Beach police Sgt. Steve Bowles said. Three other victims two men and a 73-year-old woman were taken to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, where two of them subsequently died, he said.
Bowles said a suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting "without incident" about a half-mile from the salon.
"The officers identified the (suspect's) vehicle as it was leaving the location," Bowles told the station. "They followed it and made a traffic stop and took the driver into custody."
One of the officers who responded to the shots-fired call spotted the suspect leaving the parking lot, Bowles said. Within minutes, the unidentified man was arrested without incident about a half-mile from the salon, the sergeant said, describing the man as cooperative.
"We feel very confident we have the single and only suspect in custody," Bowles said.
A witness said that when the man was arrested he appeared to be wearing body armor.
Bowles said investigators were working to determine a motive, and were unsure if the suspect had any connection to the salon.
But a former salon employee, Lidia Sosa, told reporters that the suspect, whom she identified as "Scott," shot and killed his ex-wife. The two were embroiled in a custody battle, according to Sosa, who went to the crime scene when she heard the news.
The salon owner was among those killed in the attack, Sosa said. "The only thing I can tell you is (he) is in heaven tonight," she said.
Other witnesses identified the owner as Randy Fannin.
He was just one of the nicest guys, the salt of the earth, a great guy, said Leanne Crawford, who has been a client at the salon.
Her daughter, Harmony Crawford, 10, had also had her hair cut by Fannin.
He was more like a best friend than a stylist, she said.
Lorainne Bruielle, a salon employee who was not working Wednesday, identified the gunman as the husband or ex-husband of another employee.
Bruielle, who talked to the husband of one of the employees involved, said that one employee locked herself in the salon's facial room and was unharmed; another man locked himself in a bathroom but was wounded.
Another bystander, who declined to be identified, said, "He's crazy."
Police could not immediately confirm the bystanders' information.
"To preserve the integrity of this investigation we will not share any information about the shooter at this point," Bowles said late this afternoon.
Bowles said victims were found "throughout the entire salon," and "there are survivors from inside the salon that escaped without harm."
"It appears that the salon was busy at the time and it appears almost every hair station, if you will, was occupied," he said.
Jesse Barton of Long Beach said that his girlfriend, who works at another business in the shopping center, spoke with the owner of a pet grooming business who was the first to enter the salon next door following the shooting.
She described it like a scene in a horror movie. There were bodies and blood everywhere, Barton said.
One of the critically wounded survivors was found outside the salon in the parking lot, Bowles said, while the rest of the victims were located inside the business.
A weapon was recovered when the suspect was arrested, Bowles said, adding that the suspect apparently told the officers he had other weapons in his pickup truck.
Anyone concerned that a loved one was shot was encouraged to call Seal Beach police at 562-799-4100, Bowles said.
Family and friends of the victims had gathered across the street from the salon at the Marina Wedding Chapel at the Seal Beach Center for Spiritual Living, 500 Marina Dr. Many were hugging each other and crying.
One man who declined to give his name was clearly distraught.
"I don't have much to say," the man said. "My dad's dead."
Among those waiting to hear news of the victims was Jeannie Nagle, 46, who went to high school with one of the hair stylists and feared her friend had been killed.
This just doesn't happen in Seal Beach, Nagle said.
Multiple law enforcement jurisdictions responded to the scene, including Long Beach Police Department, Cypress Police Department, Los Alamitos Police Department, Orange County Sheriff's Department, Orange County Fire Department and Huntington Beach Fire Department.
Staff writers Tracy Manzer, Greg Mellen and Phillip Zonkel contributed to this report, along with City News Service.