The married couple behind the mass shooting rampage in San Bernardino went to shooting ranges before the mass killings last Wednesday, federal authorities said Monday.
Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeed Malik did target practice days before the attack that killed 14 and injured 21.
"That target practice on one occasion was done within days" of the terror attack, said David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles.
One of the ranges used by Farook is located in a light industrial park in Riverside, not far from where Farook and Malik lived before moving to Redlands last May.
"The only thing I can say is the FBI has already gathered the information on the days he was at the range here," said John Galletta, who identified himself as a firearms instructor at the Riverside Magnum Range.
Galletta said he did not interact with Farook and did not recall him. "Just a normal guy is what was relayed to me," said Galletta.
Citing information from another person at the range, CBS News is reporting that Farook appeared concerned that about the amount of smoke coming from the assault rifle he was firing. He was told
it was likely because the gun was new, CBS reported.
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Farook brought with him the guns he fired at the range, Galletta said. But he could not say if these were the same weapons later used in the attack.
"How are you able to determine somebody's intents after they leave your place of business? It's impossible," said Galletta.
The couple had been radicalized for "some time," Bowdich said.
But neighbors and family members have said that was not apparent to them. Last Friday,
authorities concluded the attack was intended as an act of terrorism, inspired — though not necessarily directed — from overseas.
Farook and Malik were killed in a shootout with law enforcement Wednesday afternoon after a pursuit.
At that location, authorities recovered two assault rifles and two handguns. A fifth firearm, a rifle, was found later during a search of their Redlands rental townhome, according to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
All five weapons were legally purchased between 2007 and 2012, said John D'Angelo, assistant special agent in charge of the ATF in Los Angeles.
The two assault rifles were purchased by Enrique Marquez, a neighbor of Farook in the Riverside neighborhood where both grew up.
The circumstances under which Farook obtained the weapons from Marquez are still under investigation, D'Angelo said.
Marquez would not have let Farook have the assault rifles had he known Farook's intent, said a woman who identified herself as a Marquez acquaintance.
"He's an easygoing guy," said the woman, who identified herself as Melissa and declined to give her last name. Marquez "didn't do it with malicious intent."
