The parents of the man who killed six people and wounded 13 others in California rushed to stop him before he could do any harm, but learned of his rampage from radio reports en route, it is revealed.
Elliot Rodger sent copies of a chilling manifesto to his mother Li Chin and father Peter Rodger, who saw them minutes before he fired the first shots on Friday 23 May. They also saw threatening videos he made online and were racing to Santa Barbara to find him when they heard the reports, family friend Simon Astaire told CNN.
Rodger’s manifesto detailed his rejection by women and his fury at men who find it easy to attract the opposite sex. It also chronicled his distress about his height, appearance and his parents’ divorce.
The British-born killer also complained that, after an idyllic childhood in the English countryside, he had come to feel alienated after joining a Sussex prep school.
Mr Astaire told the news network Rodger’s father – Hollywood director Peter Rodger, who worked on The Hunger Games – and mother found out their son was behind the violence on Friday evening.
Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, ‘Not one more’. Richard Martinez, father of victim
Rodger’s first three victims were stabbed in his own apartment. University of California Santa Barbara students Cheng Yuan Hong, 20 and George Chen, 19, were Rodger’s flatmates and police are trying to work out whether the third victim Weihan Wang, 20 was just visiting or lived there too.
A statement from the Santa Barabara sheriff’s department said: “They were found deceased with multiple stab wounds in Rodger’s apartment located in the 6500 block of Seville Road in Isla Vista.
“Sheriff’s investigators believe Rodger killed these victims prior to going on a shooting rampage in Isla Vista around 9.27pm on May 23. In all, six innocent people were killed and 13 others were wounded. Rodger died in the incident, possibly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
An additional statement from the sheriff’s department confirmed Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19, were shot outside the nearby Alpha Phi sorority house.
It said: “Several women in the sorority reported hearing loud and aggressive knocking on the front door for several minutes. Fortunately, no one opened the door and the suspect left.
“Shortly afterwards, witnesses reported seeing three women shot by the suspect across the street. Two of the women, Katherine Cooper and Veronika Weiss, died from their injuries. A third victim received several gunshot wounds and was transported to the hospital.”
The sixth victim, Christopher Michael-Martinez, 20, was shot at a nearby delicatessen.
Richard Martinez, the father of Christopher, attacked US gun laws. He said: “Our family has a message for every parent out there – you don’t think it will happen to your child until it does.
“Chris was a really great kid, ask anyone who knew him. His death has left our family lost and broken.
“Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA (National Rifle Association). They talk about gun rights, what about Chris’s right to live?
“When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say, ‘Stop this madness, we don’t have to live like this’. Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, ‘Not one more’.”