2011 Seal Beach shooting
Encyclopedia
The Seal Beach shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on October 12, 2011, at the Salon Meritage hair salon
in Seal Beach, California
. Eight people inside the salon and one person in the parking lot were shot, and only one victim survived. It was the deadliest mass killing in Orange County
history.
(20:21 UTC
), police responded to reports of shots fired at the Salon Meritage hair salon at 500 Pacific Coast Highway
. The alleged shooter was armed with three handguns, and reloaded at least once during the attack, which lasted two minutes. There were about twenty people in the salon at the time, some managing to escape by running into the street or hiding in neighboring businesses. Six people were declared dead at the scene, and three survivors were taken to a hospital where two of them later died of their wounds. Police later named the weapons used in the shooting as a 9mm Springfield
, a Heckler & Koch
.45, and a Smith & Wesson .44 magnum.
The alleged shooter's former wife, Michelle Fournier, one of the employees at the salon, was also one of the victims. The suspect in the shooting, named by police as 41-year-old Scott Evans Dekraai of Huntington Beach, California
, was arrested without incident after being stopped while driving a white pickup truck
about one half mile (0.8km) from the scene of the crime. Dekraai was wearing body armor at the time of his arrest.
The incident was the worst shooting spree in Orange County since the Fullerton massacre
in July 1976, in which seven people died. There had been only one murder in Seal Beach during the previous four years. A candlelight vigil
was held in the evening of the next day for the victims of the shooting.
Sandy Fannin, co-owner of the salon and widow of the slain Randy Fannin, was on the premises at the time of the shooting but survived unharmed by hiding at the back of the property.
over his eight-year-old son. His personality was said to have changed after an accident on board a tugboat
in February 2007, which left him with serious leg injuries. Following an incident later in 2007 involving his stepfather, a restraining order
was filed against him, barring him from possessing firearms. The order lasted a year and had expired at the time of the shooting. Court documents filed in September 2008 diagnosed him with posttraumatic stress disorder. A court hearing had taken place on Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the day before the shooting, which recommended a near-equal custody arrangement.
Tony Rackauckas
announced on October 14, 2011, that Dekraai would be charged with eight counts of murder with special circumstances
, and one of attempted murder. He also indicated that his office would seek the death penalty
. In a news conference following the shooting, Rackauckas said: "For almost two minutes, Dekraai shot victim after victim, executing eight people by shooting them in the head and chest. He was not done. He then walked out of the salon and shot a ninth victim, a male, who was sitting nearby in a parked Range Rover."
In an affidavit
submitted to police, Dekraai said that he first shot his ex-wife multiple times on entering the salon, contradicting the view of eyewitnesses that salon owner Randy Fannin was the first victim. Dekraai said that on the morning of the shooting, he had argued with his ex-wife over the telephone, causing him to consider killing her. He also said that David Caouette - an apparently random victim sitting in his parked car outside the salon - had been shot because he thought that he was "an off-duty or undercover police officer".
Dekraai's arraignment
took place on November 29, 2011. He entered a plea of not guilty, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 24, 2012.
Beauty salon
A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for men and women...
in Seal Beach, California
Seal Beach, California
-Neighborhoods:Seal Beach encompasses the Leisure World retirement gated community with roughly 9,000 residents. This was the first major planned retirement community of its type in the U.S...
. Eight people inside the salon and one person in the parking lot were shot, and only one victim survived. It was the deadliest mass killing in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
history.
Shooting
On Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 1:21 p.m. PDTPacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(20:21 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
), police responded to reports of shots fired at the Salon Meritage hair salon at 500 Pacific Coast Highway
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
. The alleged shooter was armed with three handguns, and reloaded at least once during the attack, which lasted two minutes. There were about twenty people in the salon at the time, some managing to escape by running into the street or hiding in neighboring businesses. Six people were declared dead at the scene, and three survivors were taken to a hospital where two of them later died of their wounds. Police later named the weapons used in the shooting as a 9mm Springfield
Springfield Armory, Inc.
Springfield Armory, Inc. is a firearms manufacturer and importer based in Geneseo, Illinois, founded in 1974. It is one of the largest firearms marketers of imported firearms in the United States and is a four-time recipient of the National Rifle Association Gun of the Year Award.-Formation:After...
, a Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...
.45, and a Smith & Wesson .44 magnum.
The alleged shooter's former wife, Michelle Fournier, one of the employees at the salon, was also one of the victims. The suspect in the shooting, named by police as 41-year-old Scott Evans Dekraai of Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, was arrested without incident after being stopped while driving a white pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
about one half mile (0.8km) from the scene of the crime. Dekraai was wearing body armor at the time of his arrest.
The incident was the worst shooting spree in Orange County since the Fullerton massacre
California State University, Fullerton massacre
The California State University, Fullerton massacre was an incident of mass murder that occurred on Monday, July 12, 1976, at California State University, Fullerton, in Fullerton, California, United States....
in July 1976, in which seven people died. There had been only one murder in Seal Beach during the previous four years. A candlelight vigil
Vigil
A vigil is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance...
was held in the evening of the next day for the victims of the shooting.
Victims
The shooting left six women and two men dead, with a lone woman survivor:- Victoria Buzzo, 54, who worked at the salon
- David Caouette, 64, died after being shot in his Land Rover DiscoveryLand Rover DiscoveryThe Discovery was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1989. The company code-named the vehicle "Project Jay". The new model was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the more upmarket Range Rover, but with a lower price aimed at a larger market segment and intended to compete with Japanese...
parked outside the salon. Caouette was the final victim, and was shot through the front windshield and passenger window of his vehicle. He had been visiting the restaurant next to the salon. - Randy Lee Fannin, 62, the owner of Salon Meritage; according to eyewitnesses, he was the first person to be shot. He reportedly said to the gunman: "Please don't do this. There's another way. Let's go outside and talk."
- Michelle Daschbach Fast, 47, a customer who was having her hair styled at the salon
- Michelle Marie Fournier, 48, who worked as a hair stylist at the salon and was the ex-wife of shooting suspect Scott Dekraai
- Lucia Bernice Kondas, 65, a customer who was having her hair styled at the salon
- Laura Webb, 46, worked at the salon and was doing her mother's hair at the time of the incident; her mother, Hattie Stretz, 73, was shot and critically injured
- Christy Lynn Wilson, 47, who worked at the salon
- Hattie Stretz, 73, was critically injured, but survived the shooting, and was released from the hospital on October 17. She was a customer having her hair done by her daughter, Laura Webb, one of the stylists who died in the shooting.
Sandy Fannin, co-owner of the salon and widow of the slain Randy Fannin, was on the premises at the time of the shooting but survived unharmed by hiding at the back of the property.
The suspect
Scott Evans Dekraai, 41, divorced his wife Michelle in 2007 after four years of marriage. Court records showed that he had been engaged in a bitter custody disputeChild custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
over his eight-year-old son. His personality was said to have changed after an accident on board a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
in February 2007, which left him with serious leg injuries. Following an incident later in 2007 involving his stepfather, a restraining order
Restraining order
A restraining order or order of protection is a form of legal injunction that requires a party to do, or to refrain from doing, certain acts. A party that refuses to comply with an order faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
was filed against him, barring him from possessing firearms. The order lasted a year and had expired at the time of the shooting. Court documents filed in September 2008 diagnosed him with posttraumatic stress disorder. A court hearing had taken place on Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the day before the shooting, which recommended a near-equal custody arrangement.
Prosecution
Orange County District AttorneyDistrict attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Tony Rackauckas
Tony Rackauckas
Anthony Joseph "Tony" Rackauckas, Jr. is the current District Attorney of Orange County, California and a former Superior Court judge. He was elected on June 2, 1998 and is serving his fourth term in office....
announced on October 14, 2011, that Dekraai would be charged with eight counts of murder with special circumstances
Murder (United States law)
In the United States, the principle of dual sovereignty applies to homicide, as to other crimes. If murder is committed within the borders of a state, that state has jurisdiction. Similarly, if the crime is committed in the District of Columbia, the D.C Superior Court retains jurisdiction,...
, and one of attempted murder. He also indicated that his office would seek the death penalty
Capital punishment in California
Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in the U.S. state of California. The first recorded execution in the area that is now California took place on April 11, 1878 when four Native Americans were shot in San Diego County for conspiracy to commit murder. These were the first of 709...
. In a news conference following the shooting, Rackauckas said: "For almost two minutes, Dekraai shot victim after victim, executing eight people by shooting them in the head and chest. He was not done. He then walked out of the salon and shot a ninth victim, a male, who was sitting nearby in a parked Range Rover."
In an affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
submitted to police, Dekraai said that he first shot his ex-wife multiple times on entering the salon, contradicting the view of eyewitnesses that salon owner Randy Fannin was the first victim. Dekraai said that on the morning of the shooting, he had argued with his ex-wife over the telephone, causing him to consider killing her. He also said that David Caouette - an apparently random victim sitting in his parked car outside the salon - had been shot because he thought that he was "an off-duty or undercover police officer".
Dekraai's arraignment
Arraignment
Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal complaint in the presence of the defendant to inform the defendant of the charges against him or her. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea...
took place on November 29, 2011. He entered a plea of not guilty, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 24, 2012.
External links
- Image gallery of the scene of the shooting
- Slayings pierce Seal Beach's sense of safety Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, October 14, 2011. - To the chaos in Seal Beach, firefighters bring focus, skill and heart Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, October 20, 2011.