California gunman's mother calls shoot

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) -- The mother of the alleged gunman who killed five people and injured several others during a nearly 15-minute shooting spree in Southern California last week has called the murders a "horrific tragedy," while expressing her sadness for the families of the victims.

The incident began just before noon local time on Friday when 23-year-old John Zawahri, armed with a .223 semi-automatic rifle, a .44-caliber revolver, and 1,300 rounds, went on a shooting rampage in the coastal city of Santa Monica, killing five people and injuring four others during an attack that lasted 13 minutes as he cut a violent path nearly a mile (1.5 kilometer) long that ended at Santa Monica College.

Zawahri, who apparently carried out the attack over an undisclosed family dispute, was killed at a library on the campus of Santa Monica College (SMC) during an exchange of gunfire with police officers. His father and brother were the first victims before he killed three others, apparently at random.

"As may be assumed, I am in mourning for my family and for those who were also affected by this horrific tragedy over the past few days," Randa Abdou, the alleged gunman's mother, said in a statement on late Monday. "I cannot express my great sadness for the families who are also suffering at this terrible time."

Abdou, who returned to Southern California from the Middle East after last week's shooting, also called on the media to respect her privacy. "I do ask the media to please give me time to grieve and to come to grips with the overwhelming sorrow that has befallen all of us," she said.

On Sunday, officials confirmed that 26-year-old Marcela Franco had become the shooting's fifth fatal victim after she died of her injuries while surrounded by her family at Ronald UCLA Medical Center. "Marcela had registered to attend classes this summer at SMC and was with her father Carlos when Friday's tragedy struck," Chui Tsang, the president of Santa Monica College, said on Sunday.

The woman's father, 68-year-old Carlos Navarro Franco, died Friday at the scene of the shooting. The father and daughter had gone to Santa Monica College to buy books for the woman's summer classes, but they came under fire while in an SUV, causing the vehicle to crash into a wall.

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