The UCLA shooter who allegedly killed two people before turning the gun on himself left an “instructional note” on campus to ask police to check on his cat.
The note led them to Mainak Sarkar’s Minnesota apartment where they discovered the former doctoral student's “kill list”, which had the name of two professors on it as well as the name of a woman who was shot dead at her home in Minneapolis earlier on Wednesday.
LAPD chief Charlie Beck said at a press conference that the note found on campus after the shooting did not mention suicide, but appeared to be more of an “instructional note” to check up on his pet.
“We found a note with reference to the cat which led us to shooter’s address,” he confirmed to reporters.
He added that detectives believe Mr Sarkar went to UCLA to kill two faculty members, but was only able to locate and kill engineering professor William Klug, while the second one was off campus at the time he was arrived.
The second professor and the woman in Minneapolis have not been identified.
Mr Beck said that the shooter was carrying two semi-automatic weapons - one was legally registered to him - and multiple rounds of ammunition.
“He was prepared to engage multiple victims with the weapons at his disposal,” said Mr Beck.
Police are still working to piece together Mr Sarkar’s movements through surveillance footage and witness interviews, and to establish how long he was on campus before UCLA students in adjoining classrooms heard him shoot three rounds of ammunition.
Authorities are investigating whether Mr Sarkar’s motive for the shooting was due to a computer code which he reportedly believed Mr Klug stole from him.
Mr Beck said the second, unidentified professor “seemed to know” Mr Sarkar “had issues with him” and added: “I assume from his reaction that he also knew about the issue of the stolen computer code”.
They are also searching for the shooter’s car, which they hope will lead to further evidence.
