Syed Farook, the man police say killed 14 people and wounded 17 at a San Bernardino public health department holiday party on Wednesday, was an observant Muslim who rarely talked about religion at work and didn't appear to have any grudges, coworkers tell the Los Angeles Times. A county health inspector, Farook attended Wednesday's party but left shortly before the mass shooting began, they said. Two colleagues, Christian Nwadike and Patrick Baccari, were in the bathroom when the shooting started, and expressed shock that Farook was being blamed for the attack, describing him as quiet but well-liked.
They told the Times that Farook, 28, had recently returned from Saudi Arabia with a wife he had met online. The couple had a new baby and seemed to be "living the American dream," said Baccari, who said he shared a cubicle with Farook. Police say that Tashfeen Malik, 27, was killed along with Farook in a confrontation with police, each with a pistol and assault rifle, and they described Malik as either Farook's wife or fiancée. Farouk was born and raised in the U.S., according to San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The jalapeño wine trend taking TikTok by stormThe Week Recommends Scatter a few chilli slices into your sauvignon blanc for a subtle and refreshing kick
-
Bitcoin braces itself for a quantum computing onslaughtIN THE SPOTLIGHT The cryptocurrency community is starting to worry over a new generation of super-powered computers that could turn the digital monetary world on its head.
-
Children's breakfast cereals are getting more unhealthyUnder the radar Start your day with a spoonful of sugar
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulderspeed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC paradespeed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museumspeed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attackSpeed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglersspeed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
