Police still searching for motive in San Bernardino case

Investigators have been piecing together evidence from Wednesday's violence in San Bernardino, California. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire at a social services center during a holiday luncheon, and later died in a gun battle with police. The couple had an arsenal of weapons in their vehicle, and three pipe bombs were found at the site of the shooting. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

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  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    This morning, a bullet-riddled SUV still sat in a San Bernardino street, stark evidence of Wednesday's violence. The two suspects, Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, died there in a gun battle with police after a chase.

    Hours earlier, the pair opened fire at a social services center during a holiday luncheon. Police swarmed in to track the husband-and-wife team, ending in the final shootout a few miles away.

    Police Chief Jarrod Burguan says the couple had an arsenal in the SUV, including two rifles and two handguns — all legally purchased — and bullets that could punch through police vests.

  • JARROD BURGUAN, San Bernardino Police Chief:

    Suspects are believed to have fired about 76 rifle rounds at the officers at the termination of the pursuit.

  • MAN:

    How many?

  • JARROD BURGUAN:

    76 is our number we have right now. However on them, on their person, on their body and in the vehicle, they had over 1,400 .223 caliber rounds that were available to them and they had over 200 .9 mm rounds on their persons as well.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    In addition, investigators found three pipe bombs at the social services complex, attached to a remote controlled car that malfunctioned. FBI and police also searched a home in nearby Redlands. What they found inside was another arsenal.

  • JARROD BURGUAN:

    The search that took place revealed that there were 12 pipe bomb-type devices found in that house or in the garage of that house. There were also hundreds of tools, many of which could be used to construct IEDs or pipe bombs. And in addition to that, they had other material to produce some additional bombs as well.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    As the search proceeded, authorities began to piece together more on the shooters. Sayed Farook was 28 years old, born in the U.S. and worked as a county restaurant inspector. His wife, Tashmeen Malik, was in the country on a visa and had a Pakistani passport. The couple also had a six-month-old child. Last night, Farook's brother-in-law said he couldn't fathom why they did this.

  • FARHAN KHAN, Suspect’s Brother-In-Law:

    I have no idea. I have no idea why he would do that, why would he do something like this. I have absolutely no idea. I am in shock myself.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    Lori Noble lives nearby and was getting her Christmas tree today. For her, the attack was personal.

  • LORI NOBLE, San Bernardino Resident:

    I have a disabled daughter and she gets services from there, and know quite a few people in that building so it's tough. You don't expect it to happen here, but it did.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    Nearby at the Original Mommie Helen's Bakery, they were on lockdown yesterday.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    Does it make you feel less safe?

  • TEDRA ROSE, Employee, Mommie Helen’s Bakery:

    Yes, it does, that it is so close to home. It does make me feel unsafe. You have to have your guard up at all times, you just never know.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    Meanwhile, President Obama appealed again, from the Oval Office, for the country to find a way to curb gun violence.

  • PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

    So many Americans sometimes feel as if there's nothing we can do about it. We're going to have to search ourselves as a society to make sure we can take basic steps that would make it harder, not impossible, but harder for individuals to get access to weapons.

  • HARI SREENIVASAN:

    This is still a community that is in its early stages of grieving. Just today, the coroner's office started making public the names of those 14 people murdered yesterday. That means this town will feel the ripple effects of their loss that much more acutely.

    There are vigils planned tonight to try to remember those who were affected by this, including one at the San Bernardino mosque, the largest one here.

    Gwen.

  • GWEN IFILL:

    Thanks, Hari.

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