Bio

John Zawahri was born on June 6, 1989, in Santa Monica, California. He grew up in a family that experienced significant struggles. His parents, Samir Zawahri and Randa Abdou, married in 1985 and settled in Santa Monica. They bought a home in 1996, but their marriage soon began to fall apart. By 1998, Randa moved out of the family home with John and his older brother, Christopher. She sought a restraining order against Samir that same year, but the case was later dismissed when she did not attend court.

John and his brother lived with their mother in an apartment, while Christopher chose to stay with their father in the family home. Although their parents were not officially divorced, they had lived apart for years by 2013. The family situation was troubled, and neighbors reported instances of loud arguments.

Throughout his childhood and into his teenage years, Zawahri exhibited behavioral issues. As a student at Olympic High School, a school for students with disciplinary issues, he was seen searching the internet for information about assault weapons. In 2006, he made threats against students and teachers, prompting police involvement. During a search of his home, authorities found bomb-making materials. This incident led him to be admitted to UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute for evaluation.

Zawahri later transferred to Santa Monica High School and then enrolled at Santa Monica College in the winter of 2009. However, he left the college in the fall of 2010 without having faced any disciplinary action.

Throughout his early life, John Zawahri struggled with mental health issues. Friends and family noted that he had a fascination with weapons, which raised concerns among those who knew him. Despite his history of mental health challenges, he managed to acquire firearms and other materials illegally.

When the incident that led to his death occurred on June 7, 2013, John Zawahri was just one day shy of his 24th birthday. His troubled upbringing and family dynamics likely contributed to the events that unfolded that day, but specific motivations remain difficult to determine.

Murder Story

On June 7, 2013, John Zawahri went on a shooting spree in Santa Monica, California. The events began when he shot and killed his father, Samir Zawahri, and his older brother, Christopher Zawahri, in their home. After the shootings, John set fire to the house, which led to neighbors calling the fire department. Firefighters later found the bodies inside the burned home.

Zawahri then armed himself with an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle and carjacked a woman driving a Mazda hatchback. He commanded her to drive him to Santa Monica College. During this drive, he shot at a city bus, hitting several passengers. He also fired at a police car before arriving at the college.

Once on campus, Zawahri opened fire on a Ford Explorer, killing the driver, 68-year-old Carlos Navarro Franco, and critically wounding his 26-year-old daughter, Marcela. After this, he shot and killed another woman outside the library of the college.

Zawahri entered the library and began shooting at students, who were studying for their finals. While he fired numerous rounds, many students were able to escape or hide. Zawahri continued his rampage until police officers arrived and exchanged gunfire with him. He was ultimately shot and killed by the police inside the library.

In total, five people were killed, including Zawahri, and several others were injured during the incident. The police later indicated that John's actions were premeditated, sparked by an undisclosed family dispute.