The Mystery Of The 18 Minutes Post-Shooting: Where Were The San Bernardino Shooters?

The FBI is searching for answers after the San Bernardino shooters left the scene of the massacre that occurred on December 2. Where was Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik in the short 18 minutes after the shooting occurred?

The San Bernardino massacre was one of the most terrible terrorist attacks since the attack on September 11. A total of 14 people were killed, and 22 injured. Most people who were involved were county employees attending a holiday party.

According to the Guardian, David Bowdich, FBI assistant director, mentioned the following at a news conference.

“We have accounted for three hours and 42 minutes of time,” he said. “We are missing 18 minutes of time.”

Bowdich preceded to express the importance as to why the FBI feels it is necessary to know where Farook and Malik went post-shooting.

“Why is that important? We want to know if they stopped at any residences, businesses or locations that we don’t already know about, or if they contacted anyone,” Bowdich said. “As we’ve said before, there will be no stone left unturned. This is not an average investigation.”

A few hours after the attack, both Farook and Malik were killed during a police shootout.

Enrique Marquez, who was Farook’s friend and neighbor, assisted in the purchase of two guns that were used during the attack and shortly after the massacre, he entered into a mental health facility. He will be arraigned today on charges of supplying the weapons that were used by Farook and Malik.

Law Enforcement are still seeking answers as to what motivated Farook and Malik. From 12:59 p.m. to 1:17 p.m., the whereabouts of Farook and Malik were unknown. Farook and Malik traveled from Redlands to San Bernardino, allegedly stopping at different places on the way.

Bowdich asked the public for a favor.

“If the public has any media, witnessed any sightings, we want to have the information.”

It is unknown, but unlikely, if the San Bernardino attack was foreign-directed, although it is believed to be an inspired terrorist attack. Farook was born and raised in the United States, whereas Malik was born in Pakistan, but is considered a legal U.S. resident. A few years before the attack in San Bernardino, Farook and Malik traveled to Saudia Arabia. They committed to jihadism and martyrdom based on private messages to each other and stocked large amounts of bomb-making equipment, weapons, and ammunition in their home.

James B. Comey expressed that Farook and Malik are “homegrown violent extremists.” However, no connection was made between the attackers and foreign terrorist groups.

So, where did Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik go during those 18 minutes just after the attack? The FBI says that Farook and Malik could have stopped at a business, a home, or even a storage shed. Investigators have interviewed over 500 people trying to located Farook’s and Malik’s whereabouts. However, the FBI admits that they do not know where they were during those 18 minutes.

Here is a look at the timeline provided by ABC News.

Prior to the attack in San Bernardino

In 2005, Syed Farook met his new next door neighbor, Enrique Marquez. Farook introduced Marquez to Islamic religion and Marquez eventually converted in 2007. Shortly thereafter, Farook introduced him to radical Islamic ideology.

Farook and Marquez started planning out terrorist attacks in Southern California, although they never went through with their plans.

Marquez frequently bought guns and other weapons for Farook, and took trips to gun ranges to train for their terrorist attacks.

According to Marquez, in 2013, Farook and Marquez stopped planning attacks, as their contact started to decline.

Farook married Tashifeen Malik in November, 2014, which was considered as a fraudulent marriage due to the fact that Malik and Farook were extended family members.

Just one month prior to the San Bernardino attack, Marquez wrote a Facebook post, “I lead multiple lives and I’m wondering when it’s all going to collapse on M[e].”

The Day of The Attack — December 2

Marquez, who was working at Walmart the time, clocked in at 7 a.m.

At about 8:45 a.m., Malik was online searching for ISIS materials.

At approximately 8:48, Farook entered the Inland Regional Center, where he was to attend a work conference.

Farook set a bag down on a table at 9:05 a.m., which was later identified as an IED.

Farook left the Inland Regional Center at 10:37 in a rented black SUV and returned at approximately 10:58 a.m. with “at least one individual” dressed in black tactical gear, later identified to by Malik.

Shooting began and numerous people inside and outside of the Inland Regional Center were shot by Farook and Malik.

At 11:14, Malik’s Facebook page announced her allegiance to the leader of ISIS. This was the last known action taken by Farook and Malik before they were gunned down by the police several hours later sometime between 3 and 4 p.m.

Marquez, still at work, left for lunch at 11:56 a.m., returning about an hour later. He clocked out of work at 4 p.m. and the next day, he called 911 to admit that his neighbor did the San Bernardino shooting. He identified Syed Farook and allegedly admitted that Farook used one of his guns. Marquez went to the emergency room thereafter and was admitted to the psychiatric ward until he is arraigned on Wednesday.