- Mohammed Abdulkareem, 29, was arrested after a desperate search following the shooting at Smile Plus Dentistry & Orthodontics in El Cajon
- Police have not identified the man killed in the shooting at the office, which is run by the father-and-son team of doctors Jack and Benjamin Harouni
A gunman who opened fire at a Southern California dental office, killing one and wounding others, was a former disgruntled patient, police have revealed.
Mohammed Abdulkareem, 29, was arrested Thursday after a desperate hours-long search following the shooting at Smile Plus Dentistry & Orthodontics in El Cajon, a city about 15 miles northeast of San Diego.
Police said Friday that the suspect legally purchased the gun he used in the attack two weeks ago. An exact motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Officials have not identified the man killed in the shooting at the office, which is run by the father-and-son team of doctors Jack and Benjamin Harouni, beloved members of the area’s Jewish-Persian community.
It is not clear whether the Harounis were in the office at the time of the shooting. The San Diego Coroner’s office told DailyMail.com that the identity of the slain victim has been withheld.
Mohammed Abdulkareem, 29, was arrested after a desperate search following the shooting at Smile Plus Dentistry & Orthodontics in El Cajon
The office’s receptionist, Yareli Carrillo, 28, was shot in the legs but is in stable condition
Footage from a SWAT team outside the El Cajon dental office where a shooting occurred Thursday afternoon
The office is run by the father-and-son team of doctors Jack (photo) and Benjamin Harouni
The office’s receptionist, Yareli Carrillo, 28, was shot in the legs but is in stable condition and expected to survive. A man in his 40s, who has not been named, was also injured but is expected to survive.
Capt. Rob Ransweiler said Abdulkareem was known to those in the office, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribute.
“There were a lot of family members at the scene,” he said. “Most of the people who were involved have information about who was involved.”
Police believe Abdulkareem, an El Cajon resident, rented a white U-Haul pickup with Arizona plates just an hour before the shooting. He reportedly used the vehicle to flee the scene after opening fire.
Abdulkareem reportedly used a gun, but it is not clear how many shots he fired.
“An alert citizen alerted San Diego Police that they believed the U-Haul truck involved in the shooting was parked near 6thAvenue and Quince Street in San Diego,” police said in a statement about Abdulkareem’s arrest .
Dr. Benjamin Harouni is pictured above. It is unclear whether the father and son were in the office when the shooting occurred
The suspect’s vehicle, a white U-Haul pickup with Arizona license plate AM14894, was identified shortly after the shooting. Police subsequently confirmed that the suspect had rented the truck
“San Diego Police responded and found the truck unoccupied. A short time later, officers located Abdulkareem in the area and took him into custody without incident.”
Abdulkareem was found to be armed with a loaded pistol and several loaded pistol magazines.
He is charged with multiple crimes, including one murder and two attempted murders.
The FBI’s San Diego team and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation.