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At Least 14 Dead, 17 Wounded In San Bernardino, Calif., Shooting

KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:

There continues to be an active, fluid situation in San Bernardino, Calif., hours after three gunmen stormed a center for people with disabilities. We know that 14 people have been killed and at least 17 were injured. The police say that at least one suspect was killed in a shootout. NPR's Shereen Marisol Meraji is in San Bernardino and joins us now. And Shereen, we are still waiting for the police to give a press conference that was scheduled for a few minutes ago. But what have you learned so far?

SHEREEN MARISOL MERAJI, BYLINE: So we've learned that officers came across that black SUV that the media has been talking about with two suspects in it. One, we've been told, has been confirmed shot. But Chief Jarrod Burguan tweeted, suspects are down, one officer wounded. So we've been hearing chatter that it's two suspects that are down, one officer wounded but OK, and another suspect that officers are after right now. That's what we've been told. And we're waiting for confirmation, we're waiting for a press conference to happen.

MCEVERS: And when you talk about that black SUV, it is a vehicle that earlier in the day witnesses said they saw leaving the scene. It wasn't clear if it was witnesses leaving or if it was the suspects. It appears to now have been the suspects fleeing the scene.

MERAJI: Correct.

MCEVERS: What are the police telling people as they search for this third suspect who's still at large?

MERAJI: Well, they've told people who live about two miles away from the Inland Regional Center to stay put. People - neighbors, stay in your houses, don't come out. Shelter in place is the terminology that they used. And like you said in your intro, this is a very active and fluid situation. So, you know, check Twitter for updates, check the media for updates, but most importantly, shelter in place and stay put.

MCEVERS: I know you're there in what's probably a pretty big media scrum. Have you been able to talk to people around? I mean, is there a sense that because there is possibly one suspect out there that this is, you know, a frightening scene?

MERAJI: Unfortunately, we are really stuck in this media area. I did speak to a woman whose child is autistic and was really worried about one of their workers that helps her child - hoping that that person wasn't hurt in the Inland Regional Center. And she was extremely worried about the people who were shot in that building. So, you know, people are still very concerned about what happened to the people in the building itself. As far as neighbors being scared about the suspect that they're chasing at the moment, I haven't been able to talk to them.

MCEVERS: Quickly, are we hearing anything else about a motive here for the shooting?

MERAJI: I have heard nothing about a motive. We've had two updates so far from police Sergeant Vicki Cervantes, and she didn't say anything about motive. And we're waiting on another update that was supposed to happen about 20, 25 minutes ago...

MCEVERS: OK, well, thank you.

MERAJI: ...From police Chief... Oh, you're welcome.

MCEVERS: Thank you so much.

MERAJI: So we're waiting for that.

MCEVERS: All right, that's NPR's Shereen Meraji speaking to us from San Bernardino, Calif. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Shereen Marisol Meraji is the co-host and senior producer of NPR's Code Switch podcast. She didn't grow up listening to public radio in the back seat of her parent's car. She grew up in a Puerto Rican and Iranian home where no one spoke in hushed tones, and where the rhythms and cadences of life inspired her story pitches and storytelling style. She's an award-winning journalist and founding member of the pre-eminent podcast about race and identity in America, NPR's Code Switch. When she's not telling stories that help us better understand the people we share this planet with, she's dancing salsa, baking brownies or kicking around a soccer ball.