Gunman Kills 6 in Drive-By Rampage Near California College Campus

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@FranceKirsten posted this photo of police activity after an apparent car crash outside her house in the Isla Vista neighborhood near UC-Santa Barbara.

By Jonathan Ellis2014-05-24 12:16:48 UTC

A gunman fatally shot six people and wounded at least seven more in a series of drive-by shootings late Friday near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, authorities said. After exchanging fire with sheriff's deputies, the suspect crashed his black BMW and was found dead inside the car, apparently from a gunshot wound to the head.

"This incident appears to be a mass murder situation," Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said at a news conference.

The shootings broke out in the Isla Vista neighborhood around 9:30 p.m. local time Friday night. Brown said there were nine separate crime scenes within the area. He didn't know whether the suspect was shot by deputies or whether the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.

Brown said that officials had made a preliminary identification of the shooter, who they believe acted alone, but would not yet release the suspect's name until a positive identification can be made.

But reports quickly began circulating on social media that a YouTube video posted Friday, apparently by a young man named Elliot Rodger, was connected to the shootings. When a reporter asked Brown about the video, titled "Elliot Rodger's Retribution," Brown called the video "evidence that we believe is connected to this crime."

In the recording, the young man identifies himself as Rodger and says the video will be his last. "Tomorrow is the day of retribution," the man says. "The day in which i will have my revenge against humanity."

After detailing how "girls have never been attracted to me," the man threatens to kill members of a sorority house and then "take to the streets of Isla Vista and slay every single person I see there."

Brown said that authorities recovered a semiautomatic handgun at the scene.

Joe Buttitta of KEYT-TV posted these photos of apparent areas of the shooting in Isla Vista:

And @FranceKirsten, who is apparently a student at UC-Santa Barbara, posted this photo of police activity after an apparent car crash outside her house in Isla Vista:

Topics: U.S., US & World