One person was killed and two other people were injured when a gunman opened fire inside a dental office in El Cajon, California, on Thursday afternoon.
Police are searching for the suspect, identified as Mohammed Abdulkareem, 29, and said he used a handgun. Police believe he is armed and dangerous and advised anyone who sees him to call 911.
Police responded to a 911 call at the office on North Magnolia Avenue at 4:15 p.m. local time and performed “lifesaving support” for the three victims.
The deceased victim is male. Police did not publicly identify him. The coroner’s office will respond to identify him, police said.
El Cajon Police Capt. Rob Ransweiler said at a news briefing Thursday evening that officers found the victim who died inside the office during the shooting and took him outside, where it was safer to perform lifesaving measures.
The two injured victims — a man in his 40s and a woman in her 20s — were taken to area hospitals, where they were stable, Ransweiler said.
Police declined to say whether they believe the shooting was targeted and whether they believe the suspect knew the victims.
The shooting unfolded in the dental office, and everyone involved was inside the office, Ransweiler said, adding that other people were inside when the shooting occurred. No other injuries in the building were reported.
Police said a camera system used throughout the city identified the suspect’s vehicle, a white U-Haul pickup with Arizona license plate AM14894. They said they then confirmed the suspect had rented the truck.
Ransweiler said there is no indication of the suspect’s whereabouts and noted that if police knew where he was, he would have been taken into custody.
FBI San Diego and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation.
El Cajon is a city about 15 miles northeast of San Diego.
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