Eight Killed in California Salon Shooting

Posted October 12th, 2011 at 9:10 pm (UTC-5)
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A gunman has killed eight people and critically injured another in a shooting spree at a busy hair salon in (the western U.S. state of) California.

Local police officer Steve Bowles told reporters the sole suspect in Wednesday's shooting has been arrested, but they are not yet sure what the motive was. Bowles said police are working on the assumption the suspect had some connection to someone inside the salon.

Police detained the suspect and confiscated several weapons from him about a mile away, after he tried to flee the scene in a vehicle.

The salon is located in a shopping center along the Pacific Coast Highway, in a town called Seal Beach. Witnesses said it was packed at the time of the shooting, around lunchtime.

The victims have not yet been identified and it is not clear whether they were customers, employees or bystanders. Six were found dead on the scene, while two others died later at the hospital. Doctors say the ninth victim remains in critical condition.