A man who was unhappy with his former dentist walked into the dentist's office and shot three people, killing one, according to authorities.
The shooting took place just after 4 p.m. in El Cajon, California, near San Diego. Police received calls about gunshots at the Smile Plus dentist’s office on 480 N. Magnolia Ave. They found two men and one woman wounded.
The dentist, 28-year-old Benjamin Harouni, died at the scene, while the other two victims were taken to the hospital in serious condition.
The suspect, 29-year-old Mohammed Abdulkareem from El Cajon, fled the scene in a white U-Haul pickup truck. The truck's license plate was spotted by license plate readers.
Police then shared information about the suspect and the vehicle with local media.
Around 9 p.m. the same day, someone called San Diego police after seeing the U-Haul truck near 6th Avenue and Quince Street. Officers found Abdulkareem nearby with a gun he bought about two weeks ago, along with several handgun magazines.
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He now faces charges of murder and two counts of attempted murder and is being held without bond at San Diego County Central Jail.
Investigators believe Abdulkareem was upset as a former customer, but they haven't specified why or if Harouni was his intended target.
El Cajon police Chief Mike Moulton expressed condolences to the victims' families and friends, calling the violence senseless and evil.
There were concerns that Harouni might have been targeted because he was Jewish, but police stated there was no indication the attack was racially or politically motivated.
The Anti-Defamation League's regional director for San Diego said they haven't found any extremist or hate-related motivation behind the shooting.
Harouni was laid to rest on Sunday, and a vigil was held in his honor.
His brother Jacob expressed his love for him and described how Benjamin wanted to help people and make them smile through his work as a dentist.
Abdulkareem's court date is scheduled for Tuesday.
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