John Zawahri

On June 7, 2013, a spree shooting occurred in Santa Monica, California.

Its catalyst was a domestic dispute and subsequent fire at a home, followed by a series of shootings near and on the Santa Monica College campus.

Six people were killed, including the suspect, and four injured.

The shooter — 23-year-old John Zawahri — was killed by police officers when he exchanged gunfire with them at the Santa Monica College library.

The California Highway Patrol received a phone call at 11:52 a.m. PDT on June 7, 2013, of shots fired.

Upon arrival, police called the fire department when they saw a house on fire, located at 2036 Yorkshire Avenue, where Zawahri lived.

After the fire was under control, the bodies of two men were found in the house, both having died from gunshot wounds.

After setting fire to the house, 23-year-old Zawahri — armed with an AR-15-type semi-automatic rifle, which he assembled from legally purchased components (though he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms), some of which required machining with a mill — stopped a woman driving a Mazda hatchback, holding her at gunpoint.

A passing female driver tried to intervene, and was shot and wounded by Zawahri.

He then ordered the driver of the first car, a 41-year-old woman, to drive him to the Santa Monica College campus.

Along the way, Zawahri shot at Big Blue Bus 4057, which was carrying approximately two dozen passengers, three of whom suffered injuries.

A police cruiser was also fired upon.

Upon arriving on the college campus, Zawahri shot into a Ford Explorer, killing the 68-year-old male driver and fatally wounding the passenger.

He then continued on foot toward the college library, fatally shooting another woman immediately outside.

Entering the library, Zawahri opened fire on students inside, then focused his gunfire on a group of library employees barricaded in a storage room.

Witnesses stated they heard gunshots and screams, but were able to hide or escape unharmed.

While on the campus, he fired at least 70 rounds, and dropped a duffel bag loaded with magazines, boxes of ammunition and a .44 caliber revolver.

When police arrived at the college, they exchanged gunfire with Zawahri.

He was shot by Santa Monica Police Officers Robert Sparks, Jason Salas and Santa Monica College Captain Ray Bottenfield inside the library, and then brought outside, where he died.

Authorities investigated up to nine crime scenes believed to be tied to the thirteen-minute-long shooting spree.

Though Zawahri had been killed, officers actively searched the college campus for additional shooters and victims for over eight hours.

Santa Monica College was placed on lock-down and issued a statement on its Facebook page for students to stay away from the campus.

The lock-down was lifted later that day, but the campus grounds remained closed until the following Monday morning, when students were scheduled to take final exams.

All schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District were placed on lock-down as well.

In the days and weeks following the shooting, mental health counseling was provided at Santa Monica College to students, employees, and the surrounding community.

President Barack Obama was in Santa Monica at the time for a fundraiser just a ten-minute drive from the campus.

His motorcade was rerouted and he left safely on Air Force One.

On August 7, 2013, exactly two months after the killing spree, the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees adopted a resolution banning firearms on its nine area campuses.

The resolution cited "repeated, serious occurrences of campus-based shootings".

It also stated "the presence of firearms, even when nonoperational and in the instructional setting, lends itself to the potential for panic and fear".

The policy allows weapons on campus only if carried by a sworn law enforcement officer or for use in a theatrical performance.

It effectively ended the conduct of non-credit gun safety classes previously offered on LACCD campuses.

Six people were killed on the day of the incident, including Zawahri, who was shot by police.

One shooting victim died from her wounds in the hospital two days later.

Four others were injured.

The injured victims were treated at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

The conditions of the wounded victims ranged from critical to good, and at least one underwent surgery.

Zawahri's first victims were his father, 55-year-old Samir Zawahri, and older brother, 24-year-old Christopher Zawahri, both of whom lived in the home at 2036 Yorkshire Avenue in Santa Monica.

They were believed to have been shot and killed after the house was set on fire.

A report of the shooting released in March 2014 later revealed that the reason behind the quick police response was Obama's presence, which required a large number of police officers and also specialized tactical resources in the area.