Six Dead Including Gunman, After Shooting Spree in Bakersfield, CA

Authorities say a man went on a shooting rampage in Bakersfield, California killing five people, including his wife, before turning the gun on himself when he was confronted by a sheriff's deputy.

Officials didn't elaborate on a possible motive for the shooting, other than to say that there was a "strong indication" the incident had to do with domestic violence, Lt. Mark King of the Kern County Sheriff's office said. The names of the victims and the gunman were not released pending identification. 

According to a department spokesman, Kern County Sheriff deputies responded to reports of shots fired at a trucking business around 5:19 on Wednesday in the small rural community north of Los Angeles. Police say a husband and wife had confronted someone at the business, when the husband, whom police identified as the suspect, allegedly shot and killed two people there, including his wife. 

A third person arrived, and shot at the suspect, police said. The gunman returned fire, killing that person as well. 

According to police, the suspect then went to a residential home where he allegedly shot and killed two more people. 

The suspect attempted to get away by carjacking a vehicle with a woman and child inside. The two victims were able to escape and identify the car to police, which was spotted by a deputy speeding down Edison Highway.

When a sheriff's deputy confronted the suspect, the gunman killed himself with a gunshot to the chest. 

King said investigators were still trying to pierce together what happened, and were going to have to interview up to 30 witnesses. He also said other than the wife, there was no information on the relationships between the victims and the suspects. 


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