Gunman in Santa suit kills six at Christmas party
(AP)
A man dressed as Santa opened fire on a Christmas party then set the house alight
Anne BarrowcloughThe Christmas Eve party in a Los Angeles family home was in full swing when an eight year old girl opened the door to Santa.
Instead of giving her the large gift-wrapped box he was carrying he shot her in the face, then burst through the house shooting indiscriminately at fleeing guests.
As the 25 party goers tried desperately to escape, the gunman used his 'present' to spray inflammable liquid that quickly engulfed the house in flames.
By the time he had finished his slaughter, six of the party guests were dead and two children were seriously injured.
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It was Bruce Pardo's final revenge against his ex-wife, after an acrimonious divorce.
The massacre took place at her parents' home during their annual Christmas party and Pardo's parents in law and his wife, who have been listed as missing , are thought to be among the victims.
"Six bodies have been confirmed at this point. They have not been identified yet. They are too badly burned and will have to be identified by dental records," Lieutenant Pat Buchanan of theCovina Police department said.
Police said they do not know how many of the victims died of gunshot wounds or from the fire.
A 16-year-old girl was shot in the back, and a 20-year-old woman broke her ankle when she escaped by jumping from a second-story window.
The gunshot injuries of the 8-year old and the 16 year old are not believed to be life threatening, police said.
When the fire was extinguished early on Thursday, officers found three charred bodies in the living room area. Later in the day they discovered three more bodies in the ashes.
"They were met with a scene that was just indescribable," Kim Raney, the police chief, said.
After his rampage Pardo, 45, threw off the Santa suit and fled down the street, guests later told police.
He went to his brother's home about 25 miles away in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. No one was home, so Pardo let himself in, police said.
Police were called to the home early Thursday, and officers found Pardo dead of a single bullet to the head.
"He died of self-inflicted wounds. We believe it was a marital dispute," said Lt Buchanan
Gunman in Santa suit kills six at Christmas party
(AP)
A man dressed as Santa opened fire on a Christmas party then set the house alight
The Christmas Eve party in a Los Angeles family home was in full swing when an eight year old girl opened the door to Santa.
Instead of giving her the large gift-wrapped box he was carrying he shot her in the face, then burst through the house shooting indiscriminately at fleeing guests.
As the 25 party goers tried desperately to escape, the gunman used his 'present' to spray inflammable liquid that quickly engulfed the house in flames.
By the time he had finished his slaughter, six of the party guests were dead and two children were seriously injured.
RELATED LINKS
It was Bruce Pardo's final revenge against his ex-wife, after an acrimonious divorce.
The massacre took place at her parents' home during their annual Christmas party and Pardo's parents in law and his wife, who have been listed as missing , are thought to be among the victims.
"Six bodies have been confirmed at this point. They have not been identified yet. They are too badly burned and will have to be identified by dental records," Lieutenant Pat Buchanan of theCovina Police department said.
Police said they do not know how many of the victims died of gunshot wounds or from the fire.
A 16-year-old girl was shot in the back, and a 20-year-old woman broke her ankle when she escaped by jumping from a second-story window.
The gunshot injuries of the 8-year old and the 16 year old are not believed to be life threatening, police said.
When the fire was extinguished early on Thursday, officers found three charred bodies in the living room area. Later in the day they discovered three more bodies in the ashes.
"They were met with a scene that was just indescribable," Kim Raney, the police chief, said.
After his rampage Pardo, 45, threw off the Santa suit and fled down the street, guests later told police.
He went to his brother's home about 25 miles away in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. No one was home, so Pardo let himself in, police said.
Police were called to the home early Thursday, and officers found Pardo dead of a single bullet to the head.
"He died of self-inflicted wounds. We believe it was a marital dispute," said Lt Buchanan
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