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3 killed in Fresno shooting spree

Published : 19 Apr 2017, 12:37

  DF-Xinhua Report
A police officer stands guard in Fresno, California, the United States, on April 18, 2017. Photo Xinhua.

Three people were killed as a man went on a shooting spree in central Fresno, California on Tuesday and later surrendered to police, the Fresno Police Department said.

The 39-year-old suspect, identified as Kori Ali Muhammad, was taken into custody.

The shooting spree was a random act of violence and Muhammad shouted "Allahu Akbar" as police tackled him to the ground, Police Chief Jerry Dyer said.

Muhammad has made posts against white people and expressed anti-government sentiments on Facebook and all of the victims were white men, said Dyer at a press conference.

The Fresno spree killer apparently had an active online presence, including two digital rap albums and several social media accounts that posted racially charged threats against President Donald Trump, according to the Fresno Bee, a local media.

Police confirmed that Muhammad is also suspected for the murder of a security guard outside Motel 6 in central Fresno on Thursday, but it was still too early to say if the shooting was an act of terrorism.

The shooting spree began around 10:45 a.m. local time and 16 shots were fired at the four different locations in less than one minute.

Two of the people shot outside Catholic Charities may have been clients of the social service agency and the third victim was a passenger in a Pacific Gas & Electric truck. A fourth man was shot at but not injured, the Fresno Bee reported.