San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson says early indications are that an active shooter who was killed by law enforcement last week in Nipomo was having a mental health crisis.
Sheriff Parkinson identified the gunman as Scott Huffman, 42, of Bakersfield.
Huffman was shot and killed during a confrontation with sheriff's deputies and a California Highway Patrol officer in the parking lot of the Vons gas station at the corner of Tefft Street and Mary Avenue on Friday.
Prior to that, Parkinson says Huffman had fired more than 20 rounds from a handgun both inside and outside the gas station's convenience store.
No law enforcement or civilians were hurt during the incident.
Parkinson says Huffman had traveled from Bakersfield to San Luis Obispo County that day. A woman who was in his vehicle fled when the shooting started. Parkinson says there is no indication that she did anything wrong or knew that the shooting was going to happen. He says it was not a planned event.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown at this time. Parkinson says Huffman had no criminal history and no known history of mental illness.
"We have a mental illness problem in our nation that truly needs addressing," Parkinson said during a press conference on Monday, adding that more needs to be invested in treating and working with those with mental illnesses.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office's Major Crimes Unit is investigating the officer-involved shooting, with help from the CHP and FBI.
