On May 23, 2014, Elliot Rodger, identified by police as the perpetrator, killed six people and injured fourteen others near UCSB in Isla Vista, California, through stabbing, shooting, and vehicle ramming, before fatally shooting himself.
2014 Isla Vista Killings Map Layout — Credit: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office · Public domain
On the evening of May 23, 2014, a series of attacks occurred in Isla Vista, California, near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Elliot Rodger, identified by police as the perpetrator, killed six people and injured fourteen others through stabbing, gunfire, and vehicle ramming before fatally shooting himself. Authorities and commentators, including the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism at the Hague and the U.S. Secret Service, characterized the attacks as motivated by misogyny.
Rodger first stabbed to death his two roommates, Weihan "David" Wang and Cheng Yuan "James" Hong, and their friend George Chen, ambushing each as they separately arrived at his apartment. He then uploaded a video titled "Elliot Rodger's Retribution" to YouTube outlining his grievances and plans, and emailed a 137-page autobiographical document, later called his manifesto, to dozens of people including his parents and therapists.
Rodger drove to the Alpha Phi sorority house but failed to gain entry. He then shot three women walking nearby, killing Veronika Weiss and Katherine "Katie" Cooper and wounding a third. He drove to a nearby delicatessen and fatally shot Christopher "Chris" Michaels-Martinez. Rodger continued driving through Isla Vista, shooting at pedestrians and striking others with his car, and exchanged gunfire with sheriff's deputies twice, sustaining a gunshot wound to his hip during the second exchange. His car eventually crashed into a parked vehicle; he was found dead inside from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy concluded his death was a suicide and found drugs in his body.
All six people killed were UCSB students. Police recovered three semi-automatic pistols, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, and the knives used in the stabbings from Rodger's vehicle and apartment. A search of his apartment also found bloodied clothing, journals describing his frustrations, and evidence he had rehearsed stabbing motions on his own bedding.
The attacks prompted large memorial gatherings in Isla Vista and at UCSB, drawing thousands of attendees. They also intensified public debate over gun control and mental health policy; California subsequently enacted the state's first "red flag" law, allowing family members or law enforcement to petition courts to remove firearms from individuals deemed a threat. Sheriff Bill Brown and California legislators examined the adequacy of a prior welfare check conducted on Rodger, and the FBI investigated the Sheriff's Office's handling of the case; the Sheriff's Office later concluded its deputies had acted in accordance with policy and law.
Multiple wrongful death and civil lawsuits followed, filed by relatives of stabbing victims, Cooper's parents, and a cyclist injured and mistakenly handcuffed by police during the incident, against parties including Santa Barbara County, the Sheriff's Department, UCSB, Rodger's parents, and Rodger's apartment complex. Some claims were dismissed by courts, while a lawsuit involving the stabbing victims' families was reported to have settled for $20 million shortly before trial in 2017.
Weihan "David" Wang, Veronika Elizabeth Weiss, Katherine "Katie" Breann Cooper, Christopher "Chris" Ross Michaels-Martinez, Cheng Yuan "James" Hong, George Chen
Date
2014
Location
Isla Vista, California, United States
Case status
solved
Case timeline
1991-07-24
Elliot Rodger is born in London, England.
2007
Rodger is diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
2012-02
Rodger writes in his manifesto that he believed his planned 'Day of Retribution' was now possible.
2012-09
After not winning a lottery jackpot, Rodger visits a gun range in Oxnard, California.
2012-11
Rodger buys Powerball lottery tickets; after failing to win, he begins actively planning his attack.
2012-12
Rodger begins purchasing firearms, continuing through 2014.
2014-04
Rodger uploads YouTube videos expressing frustration over his romantic failures; he also visits gun ranges and buys ammunition through April.
2014-04-24
Due to illness, Rodger postpones his planned attack date to May 24, 2014.
2014-04-30
Sheriff's deputies conduct a welfare check on Rodger after a report to a mental health hotline.
2014-05-23
Rodger stabs to death his roommates Weihan Wang and Cheng Yuan Hong and their friend George Chen in his apartment; uploads 'Elliot Rodger's Retribution' video and emails his manifesto; shoots and kills Veronika Weiss and Katherine Cooper near a sorority house and wounds a third woman; kills Christopher Michaels-Martinez outside a delicatessen; continues shooting and ramming pedestrians with his car; exchanges gunfire with deputies; dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after crashing his car.
2014-05-24
Police conduct a search of Rodger's apartment, finding the bodies of Chen, Hong, and Wang and evidence of the attack; over 4,000 people attend a candlelight memorial at Anisq'Oyo Park.
2014-05-27
UCSB holds a memorial 'day of mourning and reflection' at Harder Stadium attended by more than 20,000 people.
2014-05-29
Over 2,000 people attend a paddle-out memorial in the ocean.
2014-06
Rodger's body is cremated and released to his family; his father meets with Christopher Michaels-Martinez's father.
2014-08
A bill requiring officers to consult the state firearms registry during threat assessments receives unanimous California Senate approval.
2014-09
California Governor Jerry Brown signs two bills into law, making California the first state to enact a red flag law.
2015-03
Parents of Hong, Wang, and Chen file a wrongful death lawsuit against Santa Barbara County, the Sheriff's Department, Capri Apartments, and its property management company.
2015-06
Parents of Katherine Cooper file a wrongful death lawsuit against Santa Barbara County and UCSB; the injured cyclist files a separate civil lawsuit.
2015-10-28
A federal judge removes Santa Barbara County and the Sheriff's Department from the Hong/Wang/Chen families' lawsuit.
2015-10
A judge rules Cooper's parents' lawsuit does not meet required legal standards but allows a revised complaint.
2015-11-20
The Hong/Wang/Chen families re-file their claims in state court.
2017-02-10
A motion by Capri Apartments and its property management company to dismiss the re-filed lawsuit is denied.
2017-09
The Hong/Wang/Chen wrongful death lawsuit is settled shortly before its scheduled trial date.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
The Casual Criminalist / 46 min
Elliot Rodger: The "Supreme Gentleman" and the 2014 Isla Vista Killings
People
Weihan "David" Wang
VICTIM
20-year-old UCSB student stabbed to death in his apartment.
Veronika Elizabeth Weiss
VICTIM
19-year-old UCSB student shot to death near a sorority house.
Katherine "Katie" Breann Cooper
VICTIM
22-year-old UCSB student shot to death near a sorority house.
Christopher "Chris" Ross Michaels-Martinez
VICTIM
20-year-old UCSB student shot to death outside a delicatessen.
Cheng Yuan "James" Hong
VICTIM
20-year-old UCSB student stabbed to death in his apartment.
George Chen
VICTIM
19-year-old UCSB student stabbed to death after arriving at the apartment to visit friends.
Elliot Rodger
CHARGED
Perpetrator identified by police as responsible for the killings and shootings; died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before any criminal charges could be filed or adjudicated.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
archival location
2014 Isla Vista Killings Map Layout
Credit: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office · Public domain · Source
archival location
Elliot Rodger alpha phi house
Credit: Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office · Public domain · Source
On May 23, 2014, Elliot Rodger, identified by police as the perpetrator, killed six people and injured fourteen others near UCSB in Isla Vista, California, through stabbing, shooting, and vehicle ramming, before fatally shooting himself.
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