At least four people, including the shooter, were killed in a mass shooting at an Orange County biker bar Wednesday night. The tragedy was reportedly sparked by a domestic dispute; the gunman, John Snowling, a former Ventura County Police Department sergeant, was in the middle of a divorce with his estranged wife. She was among the six survivors treated for injuries after the shooting.
Michael Phillips, the shooter’s brother-in-law, said his sister was “never happier” than in the early days of her marriage, and he had no idea “anything like this would transpire.”
The shooting comes just weeks after an O.C. judge allegedly shot and killed his wife during an argument at their Anaheim Hills home.
Domestic abuse expert CarolAnn Peterson told KNX In Depth’s Rob Archer and Charles Feldman that it can be difficult to predict whether a relationship will turn deadly.
“In domestic violence situations, the relationship doesn't start out rocky,” she said. “It starts out like the fairytale of being wined and dined and you’re falling in love. It’s down the road when the issues of control come from the abuser.”
Peterson said the earliest red flag may actually be too much devotion.
“You wanna look for those signs early on of, ‘oh, I love you. I can't live without you. You know, we don't need anybody else in our lives, just the two of us,’” she said.
She also recommends looking at how a partner treats their parents and siblings, especially during stressful situations like holidays, when abusers might reveal a different side of their personality.
“To the rest of the world, they’re outstanding citizens,” she said. “They’re charming. They’re wonderful. They’re marvelous. Behind closed doors, they’re somebody different.”
Once a relationship becomes abusive, Peterson said there are signs that the situation may progress to violence, such as insults, name-calling, and access to weapons within the house.
“It begins to build, and the more this builds, the more likely you are to have somebody severely injured, including children, including pets,” she said.
If you suspect you’re in an abusive relationship, Peterson says there are resources to reach out to. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233, and L.A. County’s domestic violence support line is at 1-800-978-3600.
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