Samir Salem Zawahri, 55

Samir Salem Zawahri, a 55-year-old white man, was shot and killed Friday, June 7, during a rampage that left four others, and the gunman, dead in Santa Monica.

Zawahri's youngest son, John Zawahri, 23, killed his father and brother Christopher, 25, in the same room in the back of their Santa Monica home. John Zawahri then carjacked a vehicle and forced the driver at gunpoint to drive him to the campus.

Along the way he fired on other vehicles, including a sport-utility vehicle carrying Santa Monica College groundskeeper Carlos Franco, 68, and his daughter, Marcela, 26. Both died.

Police identified his last victim as Margarita Gomez, a 68-year-old visiting the campus to collect cans.

Authorities found a three- to four-page handwritten note on John Zawahri's body. A portion dealt with family, but most of it was a series of farewells to "several" friends, Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said, adding that there was no hatred apparent. Police plan to interview the friends as the investigation continues.

"In the note was commentary that he was sorry for having killed his father, sorry for having killed his brother, that he hoped his mother would be looked after financially and would receive financial recompense from his father's estate," Santa Monica police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said. "He said goodbye to friends, and it was more of a farewell."

Despite the letter, Zawahri's motive for the shooting remained unclear, police said.

"We know he lived a troubled life and that he experienced mental health challenges," Seabrooks said. "We believe that his mental health challenges likely played a role in his decisions to shoot and kill."

-- Matt Stevens