SWAT team arrives at San Bernardino shooting scene. PHOTO: TWITTER
SWAT team arrives at San Bernardino shooting scene. PHOTO: TWITTER

(NEWS1130)  The president and CEO of the Southern California social services centre where gunmen opened fire says the shooting happened in a conference area where the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health was having a banquet.

Marybeth Feild of the Inland Regional Center was not at the facility but says she is in contact with many employees. She says they told her the shooting happened Wednesday during a banquet for the health department.

San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan estimates at least 14 people have been killed and about 14 wounded. Police say shots have been fired and a suspect is down near a dark-colored SUV.

It’s unclear if the suspect is related to the shooting.

San Bernardino police Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said she knew of no officers who were injured in the shootout.

Television footage showed armoured vehicles blocking the SUV on a residential street.

 

 

“We don’t know where those shooters are. They are heavily armed and they are possibly wearing body armour, things of that nature. It is not a safe area to be — very dangerous — and the fewer innocent people we have in here, the better,” says Sergeant Vicky Cervantes. The shooting happened at the Inland Regional Centre, which is a facility for people with developmental disabilities. Paul Lacroix’s son works in the facility. “He says the alarms went off — they were all told to hunker down, hide, and shelter in place. Eventually, the police came by and took them out.” “He says it was just a normal work day,” he adds. It is unclear how many people were at the facility at the time of the shooting. The center’s Facebook page says it employs nearly 670 staff members at its facilities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, providing service to more than 30,200 people.

 

Triage units have been set up.

No one has been arrested.