FBI Now Investigating San Bernardino Incident As 'Act Of Terrorism'
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) -- The latest on the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California:
2:35 p.m.
Attorneys for the family of a California shooter are cautioning the public against rushing to judgment about terrorist connections to the attack.
Mohammad Abuershaid and David Chesley, who represent Syed Farook's family, said there's no proof linking the shooters to a broader terrorist organization and most of the evidence focuses on Facebook posts made under an alias by Farook's wife, Tashfeen Malik.
When asked to explain possible motivations for the attack, Chesley said at a news conference Friday that co-workers made fun of Farook for his beard and said he was isolated with few friends.
Abuershaid and Chesley said the family was shocked by the attack that left 14 people dead and they saw no signs that the couple would be aggressive or had extreme views.
The FBI has said it's investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism.
1 p.m.
FBI Director James Comey says findings in a sweeping federal investigation into the California mass shooting indicate the two suspects showed signs of radicalization but were not part of a broader network.
But Comey noted there's still "a lot evidence that doesn't quite make sense."
Comey says Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik didn't appear on the FBI's "radar screen" before the shooting Wednesday that killed 14 in San Bernardino.
The couple opened fire at a holiday banquet for Farook's co-workers before dying in a gunbattle with police.
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12 p.m.
An IS-affiliated news agency Aamaq says the two shooters in the deadly California attack were "supporters" of the Islamic State group, but it stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attack.
David Bowdich, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office, said he wasn't aware of the report but wasn't surprised IS would attempt to link itself to the attack. He said investigators are looking carefully to determine if there is an IS connection.
Bowdich said at a news conference that the bureau is investigating the shooting that left 14 people dead as an act of terrorism. He says neither Syed Farook nor his wife, Tashfeen Malik, was under prior investigation.
The couple opened fire at a holiday banquet for Farook's co-workers before dying in a gunbattle with police Wednesday.
11:29 a.m.
The FBI says it is investigating the deadly mass shooting in California as an "act of terrorism."
David Bowdich, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office, made the declaration at a news conference Friday in California.
He also said the shooters attempted to destroy evidence, including crushing two cell phones and discarding them in a trash can. He said authorities continue to investigate the case to understand the motivations of the shooters and whether they were planning more attacks.
Gallery: A look inside the shooting suspects' home
10:45 a.m.
The woman who helped her husband kill 14 people at holiday party in California praised the leader of the Islamic State group in a Facebook post just minutes into the attack.
A Facebook executive told The Associated Press that Tashfeen Malik posted the material under an alias account at 11 a.m. Wednesday. That was about the time the first 911 calls came in and when the couple were believed to have stormed into the San Bernardino social service center and opened fire.
The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not allowed under corporate policy to be quoted by name.
The company discovered the Facebook account Thursday. It removed the profile from public view and reported its contents to law enforcement.
