California: 2 killed, 2 injured in shooting near Social Security building

An elderly man and woman were killed and two others were injured in a shooting near the Social Security Administration building in Salinas, California on 27 August, authorities announced. Police responded to a report of multiple shooting victims at about 8.45am, police Commander Vince Maiorana told reporters.

Maiorana said that officers found four people shot in the car park of the federal building. Two of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene and another two, a 28-year-old male and a 32-year-old female, were taken to hospital for serious injuries. Police said the dead 51-year-old female victim was found outside of a vehicle, while the dead 64-year-old male victim was found seated inside the vehicle. According to CBS SF Bay Area, Maiorana said one of the surviving victims had less severe injuries.

Police were able to arrest the 50-year-old suspect at the scene of the shooting with no incident. Maiorana said the suspect was related to the victims, but could not specify how they were related. The Salinas Californian reported that police later said the suspect was reportedly an ex-husband or estranged husband of someone in the family.

Authorities recovered the weapon, a 9mm caliber handgun, used in the shooting, he said. Salinas Police Department described the incident as a "domestic disturbance". Maiorana told reporters that investigators had collected evidence and the Monterey County coroner's office had been called to the scene. He said that the police department's on-duty officers had responded to the scene and that Monterey County sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers would be responding to calls for service as the shooting was investigated.

The shooting does not appear to be associated with any government agency or business, Maiorana said.