Suspected Santa Shooter

The man suspected in the Christmas Eve massacre that left nine dead and a house in flames in Covina, Calif., intended to escape to Canada following the attack but settled on suicide after suffering severe burns in the fire, police said in a news conference Friday.
When he was discovered with a submersible turbine pumps wound to the head in his brother's home, alleged gunman Bruce Pardo had plasticwrapped to his legs or in a girdle he was wearing, along with a plane ticket for an early morning flight to Canada.
All indications were that he was going to commit this crime and flee the country. He didn't anticipate injuring himself, Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said.
Despite his injuries, Pardo intended to cause more destruction after the brutal attack and, after shedding his Santa suit during his escape, wired the suit with an explosive device, Raney said. That device was ignited when the bomb squad attempted to defuse it. No one was injured in the blast.
Police believe Pardo was distraught over the recent settlement of his divorce and was intentionally targeting members of his exwife's family in the attack. on Dec. 24, police believe Pardo, dressed as Santa Claus, rang the doorbell of his exinlaw's home in Covina. When an 8yearold girl answered the door, Pardo shot her in the face before opening fire on at least two dozen other lpg flowmeter.
In a 911 call released Friday, a frantic woman named Pardo as the shooter and said that after he appeared in the doorway in Santa Claus garb brandishing handguns, everyone was panicking, running.
His name is Bruce Pardo, she said between shallow, quick breaths.He's still shooting out there.
Click here to hear the 911 call.
According to police, after at least two people were shot, Pardo unwrapped what seemed to be a large present he had brought in. Instead of a gift, the wrapping paper concealed a homemade fuel dispenser that Pardo used to spray racing fuel throughout the home.
When officers first arrived at the stillburning house,they were met with a scene that was just indescribable, Raney said Wednesday.
Some partygoers ran out the back door while at least one woman ran upstairs and jumped off the roof to escape, reportedly breaking her ankle in the process. The 8yearold girl survived the attack with severe injuries to the face oval gear meter.
Police are unsure whether Pardo ignited the fuel that caused the raging fire, but because of his injuries believe he did not intend for the fire to start while he was inside the house.
Witnesses reported Pardo took off the Santa costume and fled the scene, driving to his brother's home in Sylmar, Calif., where police believe he took his own life by shooting himself in the head.