Brendan O'Rourke has been named the gunman in the Carlsbad, California, Kelly Elementary School shootings. Today we know that O'Rourke holds a valid security guard's license, issued by the state of California. The license does not permit him to carry a gun. With 5 shots fired, two girls, ages 6 and 7 received grazing wounds to their arms. One of O'Rourke's neighbors said he "screams out things, like "I'm going to burn your eyes out."
Brendan O'Rourke
From CBS KFMB-TV, at least one of O'Rourke's neighbors has previously called the police due to his "erratic behavior."
Records show O'Rourke has previous addresses and relatives in Illinois. He currently lives in the Canyon Creek Apartments on Garrison St. in Oceanside, records show. Neighbors in the complex described O'Rourke as a loner with a temper. Resident Vickie Roe-Mitchell told News 8 she has called police on O'Rourke in the past for his erratic behavior.
"I'm not surprised. I'm kind of scared of him," Roe-Mitchell said. "He'd scream out things like, 'I'm going to burn your eyes out. I'm going to kill you.'"
O'Rourke is 41 years old and reportedly has no prior felony record, although he has "several minor traffic violations in Illinois - assuming that does not have a record under a false name.
Terry Lynn was the O'Rourke jump the fence and fire.
"He was saying something about the president, he was ranting," Lynn said.There seems to be no news about the presidential rantings.
A 6 year old student, Kenny Speck, said he heard classmates crying and say some of them "went over the fence." Kenny said he ran to Room 23 for safety. The school has about 450 students.
A neighbor and two construction workers helped apprehend the gunman. Reports are mixed. Some say the shooter jumped over a fence onto school grounds, and others say he was outside the fence, shooting in. One student said "I looked in his eyes and it was scary."
Construction worker Carlos Partida said he saw the suspect firing his gun at the children. He said the gunman appeared to be reloading and trying to leave the scene when he jumped in his truck and rammed the man, knocking him down.
“My reaction was to get him. Get him away from the kids,” he said. Partida said he and two other construction workers held the gunman down until police arrived.Scott Chandler, a professional surfer, lives across the street from Kelly and helped apprehend O'Rourke:
"There was a lot of screaming and hard to tell who was screaming. I've heard different slurs he was saying from other neighbors but he was. At that time, put it this way, the construction workers I believe were all wearing steel-toed boots, and he took a pretty good beating. I looked at him eye to eye, what are you shooting at kids, what's your motive and what you are doing? He kind of grunted, didn't make any comments, just looking into his eyes, he had the crazy look in his eyes. He wasn't all there."Along with Carlos Partida and Scott Chandler, Steven Kane and Maro Contreras are hailed as heroes.
Police recovered a 5-gallon gas can and a propane tank in the suspect's car. The bomb squad was called. His pockets were "full of" cartridges, a flashlight and "other electronic devices. He was reported to be carrying a Jack-o-Lantern in one hand as he charged toward the children. O'Rourke gave Police three different names, one a female name. The weapon used was a .357 magnum and is in police custody.
I'm still looking for the mugshot. O'Rourke is held in a San Diego County jail in Vista, California under six counts of attempted murder and numerous weapons violations. Police say he is not cooperating and "probably has some mental health issues."
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