Post-traumatic stress disorder and a bitter custody battle may have been factors that triggered a 41-year-old suspect to go on a shooting rampage that left eight people dead in the worst mass shooting in Orange County history.
Complete coverage of the Seal Beach massacre
Scott Evans Dekraai, 41, a former tugboat crewman who served in the military, is being held on suspicion of murder after the massacre at the Salon Meritage in Seal Beach Wednesday afternoon.
Dekraai had worked on tugboats, sportfishing vessels and barges for several years.
In 2007, Dekraai witnessed a tragic tug boat accident when a deckhand, 26-year-old Piper Cameron, was crushed after a rope attached to a barge snapped, according to the Orange County Register. Dekraai had tried to help but suffered a broken leg, which he nearly lost. As a result, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and became permanently disabled.
Prior to the accident, Dekraai was locked in a bitter custody battle over their son Dominic with his ex-wife, Michelle Fournier, who was among those killed. The two were married in Clark County, Nev., early in 2003, and he filed for divorce in Los Angeles County in 2007.
He was in court Tuesday, seeking sole custody of their son, but a court-ordered report recommended against it. In court papers, Dekraai claimed he was concerned for the safety of their son because Fournier frequently drank and put him "in dangerous situations."
But Fournier claimed that Dekraai suffers from "significant mental impairment" and became unstable and physically abusive during their marriage, documents said.
His disability left him with a lot of time and money on his hands, Fournier said in the papers, and he spent "almost all of his waking hours" trying to take full custody of their child.
"He wants to paint me as an uncaring selfish drunk, but it certainly isn't me," Fournier said.
On at least one prior occasion, police were sent to Dekraai's house because he called 911 and advised that he was either going to kill himself or someone else, documents said.
Fournier claimed Dekraai had been prosecuted and pleaded guilty to assault and battery after he "beat the living daylights out of his stepfather," documents said. Dekraai underwent 52 weeks of anger management.
Fournier also claimed that Dekraai became unstable and physically abusive to her during their marriage. He was "almost manic" when it came to decisions about their son and asked the court to decline his request for more time with the boy.
Friends and co-workers were astonished to hear that Dekraai may have been involved in the brutal shootings. Many described him as a friendly, outgoing, and likeable guy. He was a devoted dad and often played catch with his son in the yard of the home.
"I'm like, no, not this neighbor, no way, he's the nicest guy ever,'' said neighbor Stephanie Malchow, who attended Dekraai's wedding when he married his current wife three years ago.
"I had no idea anything like this would come from Scott," said neighbor Clayton Cornhall. "He was always a nice guy."
On the day of the shooting, Dekraai appeared to target his ex-wife, who was among those working at the busy the salon, witnesses said.
"This wasn't a random act of violence. The suspect knew his intended victim," said Police Chief Tim Olsen.
Dekraai was detained about a half-mile from the scene during a traffic stop. Witnesses said police recovered several guns from the truck.
Police said Dekraai did not resist arrest.
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