Murder-suicide at UCLA
Authorities are reporting an active shooter situation on the campus of UCLA. It began shortly before 10 a.m. and the police have ordered a lockdown of the university, telling everyone in the Engineering IV building to shelter in place as they search for the shooter.
The shooting was first reported from Boelter Hall, a part of the engineering building. The Los Angeles Police Department verified that two people, both reported to be males, were shot and killed and began searching the campus and surrounding areas looking for the shooter.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the search for the killer and authorities are near certain there is only one shooter.
Through Twitter, the Daily Bruin said “Shooting reported at Engineering IV at #UCLA. Go to a secure location and deny entry.” and that the killer was wearing a black jacket and black pants.
MSNBC was reporting most of the law enforcement people believed the incident is over, but they aren’t sure so the campus remains on lockdown as it continues to be investigated. There is the possibility that this was a case of a murder-suicide, but as of yet the motive has not been determined.
UCLA Police Chief James Herren told the media this is still an active investigation.
A number of fire department units are on the scene as well, but no fires are reported.
As of now UCLA is still on lockdown.
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UPDATE: 12:00 p.m. NBC reported law enforcement sources told them a note and a gun was found. Charlie Beck, LAPD Police Chief, just reported it was a murder-suicide and the LAPD is now investigating the shooting as a homicide. He told the media the campus is now safe and they are releasing students from the lockdown incrementally in an orderly fashion.
The shooting occurred in an office inside the building.
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UPDATE: 6:00 p.m. Authorities have identified one of the victims, Professor William Klug of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. According to police sources a student was unhappy about his grades so he shot the professor and then himself.
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UPDATE: JUNE 2, 2016 9 a.m. As the investigation into the double shooting at UCLA unfolds, more information is being released to the public. The shooter has been identified as Mainak Sarkar, of Minnesota.
According to LAPD Chief Charlie Beck Sarkar had a “kill list” with three names on it. The professor who was killed on the campus, another UCLA professor who was unharmed and a woman in Minnesota, who was found dead in her home.
Chief Beck said it appeared to be “mental issues” that drove Sarkar to commit the murders and suicide. The authorities believe Sarkar killed the woman in Minnesota and then drove to Los Angeles to carry out the other murders. Apparently Sarkar thought there was an intellectual property issue, which UCLA denies.
Police in Minnesota found the kill list when they searched Sarker’s home. The investigation is still ongoing.
Photos from people at UCLA posting on Twitter. Top photo shows one police team conducting a search.
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