8 Dead, 1 Injured In Seal Beach Salon Shooting

October 12, 2011 4:40 PM

UPDATE (4:35 p.m.): Two more shooting victims have died at a local hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to eight.

SEAL BEACH (CBS) — Eight people were killed and one other injured in a shooting Wednesday at a Seal Beach hair salon that ended with one suspect taken into custody.

The shooting occurred at about 1:30 p.m. at Salon Meritage in the 500 block of Pacific Coast Highway, according to Sgt. Steve Bowles of the Seal Beach Police Department.

8 Dead, 1 Injured In Seal Beach Salon Shooting

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“Upon arrival we found six confirmed deceased people, along with three critically injured parties, which were transported to a local hospital,” Bowles told KCAL9.

The three injured people were taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Two additional victims died shortly before 4:30 p.m.

A white male suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting during a traffic stop.

“An officer observed the suspect, as described by a witness, leaving the parking lot,” Sgt. Bowles said in a news conference.

He was taken into custody “without incident” about a half-mile from the salon.

Officers located the suspect’s vehicle and found what they described as multiple weapons in his car. Authorities have blocked of the area at 12th Street and Central Avenue.

The motive for the shooting was still unclear. Bowles told KCAL 9 the suspect was cooperative and did not resist arrest.

Several local agencies are assisting the Seal Beach Police Department in the investigation.

Family members of possible victims should call the Seal Beach Police Department at (562) 799-4100.

Content2B

Far from funny dumb ass!!
rm

was not tryin to be funny last time i checked a salon does not have lots of cash on hand so robbery seems unlikely so the next logical idea is that the person was upset at the salon for some reason and since you get your hair cut in a salon it seems logical to me that a bad cut would be something someone could be upset at them about.

victor

i know the owners personally and they where very respected people of the community. it’s a tragedy that this happened and we all just have to pray for the families.

no

Pray for the families? Why on earth would you waste your time with fantasy supernatural beings during such a tragic time?
appffttttt

Better idea: Get off the couch and do something, such as raising money for their families or starting a fund for the funerals.

Or say ‘pray’ and pretend you did some kind of good work.
Christina39

appffttttt is going to set an example for those of us who pray. I am waiting to read about the wonderful things he is doing.

cloudnine

@No. Shut up!! It’s times like this when we need HIM the most. This is what happens when people lack God!!Victor yes I will continue to pray hard..May they seek into God for strength & understanding.

Doug

Sadly, an entire generation has not studied the Bible. They don’t know that the book of Daniel predicted the exact day when Jesus arrived hundreds of years in advance.. They don’t know that the re-birth of Israel was predicted to the exact day, May 15, 1948, hundreds of years in advance. They don’t know that hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled exactly and the statistical odds of this happening by accident are exponential. Unfortunately, this will cost them their eternal lives.
Christina39

There is a God. I don’t know where NO gets his information, but he is wrong anyway. The only consolation now is for prayer and to know they’re in a better place. So cliche but it’s also the Truth.
cloudnine

Agree 100% .. Not a better place, the PERFECT PLACE..We have to pray for the families. For them to have strenght is something so evil…

brian

it was the husband of someone that worked there according to someone that worked there but was off today..

Christina39

He’s dumb and CRAZY!

doc

very sad, very troubling .
rico

there will probably be some idiot on the tube saying, “we were shocked. something like this never happens here”

uhoh

You already know it. I’ve been here 175 years and i’ve only seen someone get a parking ticket…

Laura

Humor is totally inappropriate … This could be a Mom who scheduled a routine hair appointment before picking up their son/daughter after school … what do you say to that child …

ahhh

How is it living in your perfect world?
cloudnine

OMG you are so right. How sad!! Only a soulless thing would find humor in this.
Alpha Kenny Juan

Well, you tell the child that mommy won’t be picking him up from school.
Karla

Laura stop being so overly delicate – what do you say to that child? You say “mommy died today because a very stupid man shot her”…as with any tragedy a child or adult will be initially distraught but with time they will cope because they have no other choice but to cope.

pf

was at one of fast food places behind it. just rumor but someone i talked to said it was a husband who shot his wife??????? why do people have to do that…..so very sad. feel bad for those that died and their families.
jmb

The shooter was the salon owner’s ex husband.
john denson

This is another marriage divorce ex husband kills ex-wife story we here over and over again.

Im so glad I’m gay, gay people never do this, straigth people dont get married!

cloudnine

okay this was a little funny but the story is still very horrible!!
hal fast

true story, a gay gal was being chased in a car and the mad lover was shooting at her and the other gay girl went through a red in the valley and hit a couple cars and a bus and was decapitated. So much for gay love.

cloudnine

Good point. They haven’t mentioned the sex of the victims. You never know but regardless my heart goes out to all of them.

Frank

Stupid comment about gay people don’t do this, no they just kill other people by spreading AIDS!

cloudnine

Be nice Frank..

Karen

I am not gay but have gay friends n I so agree!!!!

Cathy

Shame on you for reporting this story before the families of the victims have been notified. How horrible for them to see this on TV first.

Mike

What do you think they’re going to do? NOT report it? They did not release names of victims. . .but this is news and they are going to report it. . .
uhoh

YAWNNNNNN. Another reporter reject. Sorry you didn’t get the job. No names were mentioned m0ron…

Leo Varshavsky

I live In Seal. Am out of town on work. My mom isnt picking up her phone. I hope she is alright.

Jackie Hannah

you might try calling one of the local business to see if they can check on her. Dr. Gammer’s office is upstairs – 431-8554
or Dr. Blake – (562) 431-2929.
What is your mom’s name? I know one of the hairdressers there who is ok. Maybe I can ask him if he knows anything.

vicotr

kelly is she ok she worked there or her mom sandy or randy i know passed away let me know

Rick Shelton

Leo I hope you connect with her soon.
cloudnine

please keep us posted. Here praying hard for you buddy!!! Oh God pleeeeease let her be okay!!!
Christina39

It says you can call the Seal Beach police department for info.

Lee Bregman

This is eerily similar to this scene in the movie Rampage:

Looks like it may be a copycat
Jeff P

I live in the City of SB – distraught ex-husband – killed his wife workers and customers – prayers to the family and victims… heard the pops then sirens – numbing
J Brown

When reporting on breaking news and speaking to fire/police representatives, why do the anchors repeatedly ask questions that they are told cannot be answered at that specific time? It is quite irritating that they continue to “grill” these reps after being told that they do not have certain information. Many times the police/fire personnel on the phone with anchors even sound frustrated in having to answer the repeated questions they are asked.
FLF

The next cry will be to outlaw all handguns and restrict ownership.Wait a minute California has the most restrictive anti gun laws in the nation. So that has already been tried..

T Spree

Well, not quite. We still haven’t tried banning them entirely. Let’s give that a shot first, before giving up.

FLF

Bannig them won’t work either that way we would be sure only the criminals will have guns and we would have to defend ourselves with spit balls, 911 calls, pepper spray, and sling shots.. Naa bans will never work no matter HOW touchy-feely it sounds..
T Spree

Do the math. Save one by killing 47. Ban the gun. Touchy feely is stroking a gun in the dark and believing the world is now safer. Data below is from the FBI, compiled on vpc.org. Or go to a library and read one of the hundreds of books with more recent data. Or go back into the dark room and keep stroking.
For every time a gun in the home is used in a self-defense homicide, a gun will be used in: 1.3 unintentional deaths, 4.6 criminal homicides, 37 suicides
In 1997 there were 15,690 homicides. Of these, 8,503 were committed with handguns. Among handgun homicides, only 193 (2.3 percent) were classified as justifiable homicides by civilians.
For every time in 1997 that a civilian used a handgun to kill in self-defense, 43 people lost their lives in handgun homicides alone.

Hondo McBorkman

Bad hair day.
kr

A source says the injured were taken to Long Beach Memorial Hospital.
One of the injured was a 73 yr old woman.
Maryann Gibson

VERY SAD AT LEAST 6 PEOPLE ARE NOT WITH US NOW. NOT JUST THEIR LIVES HAVE ENDED BUT HOW MANY HAD CHILDREN WHO ARE NOW WITHOUT A PARENT, OR A MOTHER OR FATHER HAVE JUST LOST THEIR CHILD. SO MANY LIVES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. MY PARYERS ARE WITH THEM ALL. IT MAKES ME SO MAD THAT PEOPLE CAN ALLOW THEIR EMOTIONS TAKE THEM TO THIS VERY DARK AND EVIL PLACE. I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT. LIKE THE PERSON SAID BEFORE ME (SOULLESS).

CONNIE

I agree. The thought of having to let a family member — let alone a child — know their loved one isn’t coming home tonight is heartwrenching. My heartfelt sympathy and prayers to all of the victims and their loved ones.

DJ

Did someone get a bad hairdo?
SHERI

SICK MAN NEED LOCK HIM UP THROW KEY AWAY I HOPE HE GETS DEATH PENALTY BURN IN HELL THERE ARE SOME SICK PEOPLE IN THIS SICK WORLD WE LIVE IN

ELLIE

why should he get to end his misery with the death penalty. I think he should have to suffer in jail for the rest of his life, OH and explain to his seven year old son where his mother is.

Bernard Cohen

this is actually a typical day in LA news flash LA is the most violent evil place on the globe. Its second to legos nigeria .

cmh

Wow — Bernard, I think you messed up your antidepressants again!
Christi

Hello? Let’s try this again. This happened in *Seal Beach* which is in *Orange County*, not even Los Angeles County, let alone LA itself. They mention in the reports that there hasn’t been a homicide (let alone a massacre like this) in years. The last massacre in the area was in 1976 and less people died.

Christina39

When you see the sadness and horror on the faces of the men and women around the salon, you wonder why the police didn’t beat that shooter to a pulp. Eight people dead because he was in a custody battle! Get Real. What a horribly sad day.

Kathy

This is a good lesson for all of us women out there. Choose who you open your legs to wisely. Men don’t just flip out one day and start killing people. There’s ALWAYS signs which point out that a person is a looser and capable of killing you. If you choose to ignore those signs nobody should have any sympathy for you getting killed.

Christina39

I agree with your second sentence, but not that we cannot have sympathy for someone who falls in love with the wrong person. Men and women can be very good at hiding their true selves. Seriously who really thinks anyone is going to kill a whole bunch of people or even one because they were rejected. The guy turned out to be a maniac. That is obviously why she was leaving him.
CARLY

This is the absolute truth, I test a man’s temperament, the FIRST sign of hostility and im OUT!

homer

anyone ever notice white people always go on shooting rampages?

Tony

Yep…white men usually vent with bullets, hispanics and blacks with their fists and asian’s with their brain because they rarely resort to killing. Jail and prison statistics don’t lie.
CARLY

ALL THE TIME! yet sheet is always talked about how violent black people are.

fanspeed

fraid a little of the real world came to this insulated upscale town today.
J. LO

ANOTHER ILLEGAL, OOPS HES WHITE, WE’LL MAYBE FROM IRELAND LETS DEPORT HIM. THATS WHAT WOULD BE SAID IF HE WAS OF COLOR! ERASE RASCISM!!
uhoh

WOW, when it’s my fellow white people you don’t see one racial comment.