Gunman in Santa suit kills 8, self on Christmas Eve

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-26 07:40

COVINA, Calif. - Eight bodies have been found Thursday in the rubble of a Los Angeles home where a gunman in a Santa Claus costume opened fire during a Christmas Eve party before setting the house ablaze, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office said.

Bruce Jeffrey Pardo is seen in an undated photo provided Thursday, December 25, 2008, by the Covina, Calif. [Agencies]

Investigators ended their search Thursday night for other possible victims of the rampage. Authorities planned to return to the scene Friday.

Police say the only suspect, Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, in the shooting and fire killed himself several hours later.

Officers found the body of Pardo, 45, at his brother's home early Thursday in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. He had died from a single gunshot wound to the head, Los Angeles police Sgt. Martin Guerrero said.

"He was going through some type of marital problems, and we believe that this residence is a relative's residence," Lt. Pat Buchanan said.

The gunman arrived at the party in Covina late Wednesday and immediately opened fire with a handgun, Buchanan said.

Raney said he then used a homemade incendiary device to set the home on fire.

Witnesses told police that the man took off the Santa suit and left the scene of the burning house in street clothes.

Jan Gregory, a neighbor, said about 25 people were at the party when the gunshots rang out and people started running from the house.

She said she saw a teenage boy flee the house, screaming, "They shot my family."

Buchanan said three other people were injured. A woman in her 20s and an 8-year-old girl had gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening, and a third person had a broken ankle.

Firefighters had extinguished the blaze by about 1:30 am Thursday, fire Captain Mike Brown said.

The two-story home on a cul-de-sac was destroyed in Covina, a quiet suburb 25 miles east of Los Angeles.

"This neighborhood is really quiet," said Jeffrey Barrientos, who lives half a block from the house that burned. Barrientos said the neighborhood's residents were mostly retirees and elderly people.