Police Seek Gunman in Santa Suit Who Killed 1 Man, Wounded 1
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Bakersfield police continued to search Friday for a gunman wearing a Santa Claus suit who, for no apparent reason, shot one man to death and wounded another in the parking lot of a coffee shop.
Kenneth Obney, 36, of Joshua Tree died of multiple gunshots and a companion suffered an arm wound in the attack Thursday evening outside a Denny’s restaurant, police said.
The wounded man, who was reported in fair condition at a local hospital, was not identified.
The victims were walking toward their pickup truck after making a phone call to arrange the sale of German shepherd puppies that were in the vehicle when the assailant in the Santa outfit suddenly appeared, pulled a rifle from a gift-wrapped package and opened fire, police said.
After the shooting, the assailant quickly disappeared into heavy fog that had fallen over the area, police said.
A witness said authorities took two puppies from a camper shell on the pickup and took them to an animal shelter.
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