Seal Beach city officials held a news conference at 1:00 PM today and provided a limited amount of additional information on yesterday’s mass shooting.
The acting Chief of Police said the suspect has been transferred to Orange County jail where he is being held without bail. The Chief also said “this shooting was not a random act of violence ,” the suspect new the victim, his ex-wife. The Chief said the weapon was a handgun.
City officials provided no additional details about the crime or the victims, but said more details would be provided at a joint news conference with Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Seal Beach Acting Chief of Police Tim Olson tomorrow at 11:00 AM. No additional information or interviews will be provided before then.
At today’s press conference, Seal Beach Mayor Pro Tem Gary Miller said “I would like to express my deep sympathy to all the families affected by yesterday’s shooting. I offer my thanks to the City of Seal Beach Police Department who handled the situation with tremendous urgency and apprehended a suspect within moments of the incident. They are to be commended for this exemplary police work. I am proud of the quick and thorough response of all Seal Beach safety personnel and all of the other agencies who are assisting throughout the incident. We are indeed grateful.”
A candlelight vigil is planned for 8 p.m. tonight at the Salon Meritage, 500 Pacific Coast Highway. Comments will be made by city leaders, the Seal Beach Police Department chaplain, and Grace Community Church Pastor Don Shoemaker.
Grief counselors will be available at the nearby Mary Wilson Library, to any community members seeking assistance. Free parking will be available at the 8th and 10th Street beach lots and free shuttles will be provided to the Mary Wilson Library.
At today’s press conference, City Manager Jill Ingram said “Our city has experienced a devastating tragedy. We are a close-knit community and have never experienced a devastating incident such as this. It has literally touched every person in our town. What I can say is that we are a strong and resilient community and we must now come together to help one another come to grips with this shattering experience.”
At today’s press conference, Seal Beach Police Acting Chief Tim Olson said “Less than 24 hours ago, our community experienced the biggest tragedy in the history of our city. Like most instances of this type, the suspect was closely connected to the victim. This was an isolated incident, and Seal Beach remains a very safe community. We appreciate the quick assistance and response from our neighboring law enforcement agencies during this devastating tragedy.”
The OCDA’s office released a statement which said tomorrow’s press conference will “discuss updates, a filing decision, and arraignment information in the Scott Dekraai mass-murder case.”
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About Dolores Barr, Publisher
Dolores Barr has lived in Rossmoor since 1992 and has created this site to provide local news for the people of Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Leisure World, Sunset Beach, and Surfside, California. My husband and I have had two students graduate from the Los Alamitos Unified School District and currently our Grandson, Ricky Apodaca, grade 3 at Weaver Elementary, is actively involved in youth baseball through LAYB and youth football through FNL.
In 
First, my heartfelt sorrow for this needless loss of some good, innocent people, and the pain that will never end for their families.
I am amazed to constantly hear on the news, “this never happens here”, “this is such a safe place, I never lock my doors”. People don’t need to build a fortress, or be afraid of everyone who comes near. But on the other hand, we need to lose this naivete and realize we live in a world where this can happen anywhere, to anyone.
And we can’t ignore the warning signs, such as those reported in the news about this cowardly maniac. If you’re dealing with an unhinged individual who has shone he can be violent, has mental problems, AND is in a fight for FAMILY… then extraordinary changes should be considered, at least for the short term. Especially when the “sometimes trigger” of a restraining order has just been pulled. No one is to blame here EXCEPT this madman. AND we need to be AWARE and RESPONSIBLE for our safety.