I HATE seeing this type of stuff at Christmas, or any other time for that matter.
Man in Santa Suit Slays at Least 5 at Holiday Party
In a bizarre Christmas Eve rampage, a 45-year-old man in a Santa Claus outfit showed up at a party in a Los Angeles suburb and opened fire at a group of revelers, killing at least five people and injuring several others, including two children, the authorities said on Thursday.
The suspect, identified by witnesses as Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, later killed himself, the police said.
The shooting, which may have been prompted by a marital dispute, occurred just before midnight Wednesday at a two-story home on a cul de sac in Covina, a suburban town about 22 miles east of Los Angeles.
At least three bodies were initially discovered inside the home — which went up in flames moments after the shooting — and coroners found “several” more bodies as they sifted through the rubble at the scene on Thursday morning, according to The Associated Press.
Investigators said that about 30 people were inside the home celebrating on Christmas Eve when the costumed man knocked on the door. When a guest opened it, the man stepped inside the house, pulled out a handgun, and immediately started shooting, Lieut. Pat Buchanan of the Covina Police Department said in a telephone interview.
Officers quickly responded to a burst of 911 calls, and arrived at the house moments later to find that shots were still being fired inside. They also found the house engulfed in flames, but kept firefighters from getting too close until it appeared that the shooting had stopped. The police said there were three bodies inside the house, which have yet to be identified. Three survivors were transported to the hospital, two of whom had gunshot wounds, Lieutenant Buchanan said. They were described only as an 8-year-old, a 13-year-old, and a 16-year-old.
Witnesses said Mr. Pardo, whose last known address was just outside Los Angeles, stripped off his Santa outfit after the shootings and fled in street clothes. Lieutenant Buchanan said he had been having problems with his wife, the homeowner, who may have been a victim and whose name was not made public. It was also unclear what connection Mr. Pardo had to the injured children and the other victims, he said.
“We don’t know if they were residents of the house or not,” the officer said.
Covina, a suburb that boasts in its slogan “One mile square and all there,” sits at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley. It has become a scenic backdrop for films and shows, including several episodes of the television series “Roswell” and the hit show “Knight Rider.”
