Who Were the California Suspects?
Suspects: San Bernardino, California, police identified Syed Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, as the two suspects in Wednesday's shooting at the Inland Regional Center, which provides services for developmentally disabled people.
Status: They were killed in a shootout with police.
Relationship: Family members say Farook and Malik were married, but police were still sorting out their status. The couple had a 6-month-old daughter, whom they left Wednesday morning with Farook's mother.
Background: Farook was born in Illinois to parents who had emigrated from Pakistan. Malik's background is unknown. However, Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Los Angeles, told The Washington Post that Malik was born in Pakistan and spent time in Saudi Arabia before marrying Farook.
Weapons: Authorities said the suspects carried two assault rifles and two semiautomatic handguns, all purchased legally in the U.S., according to The Associated Press. Police also found three pipe-bomb-style devices, which were disposed of by the bomb squad. Both suspects also wore assault-style tactical gear, police said.
Employment: Farook worked for the San Bernardino County Public Health Department, inspecting public pools and eating establishments.
Online presence: While some mass shooting suspects leave detailed profiles online, the couple had a very limited presence on the Internet, federal authorities said. Farook had posted dating profiles online, while Malik had created an online baby registry.
Religion: Farook was known as a devout Muslim, saying in an online dating profile, "I try to live as a good Muslim." Co-workers told the Post he didn’t discuss religion at work.
Motive: Unknown. Police are still investigating, and authorities said they are not ruling out terrorism. The shooters "came prepared to do what they did" ... there was "some degree of planning" behind the attack, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.
Day of shooting: Witnesses said Farook was angry when he left the holiday lunch being held at the center. He reportedly returned shortly after with Malik.
Suspects' families: "Why would he do something like this?" asked Farhan Khan, Farook's brother-in-law, who said the family was in a state of shock and disbelief about what happened.
Uncharacteristic: Authorities told the Post the San Bernardino attack was unusual for several reasons: Few mass shootings involve more than one shooter, and women rarely are involved in mass shootings. A 2014 FBI report said of 160 "active shooter" incidents in the U.S. between 2000 and 2013, only two involved more than one shooter. And of those 160 incidents, only six involved a female gunman.