Social Services Centre Attack In California 14 Killed Many Injured

San Bernardino police said Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27 were the suspect shot dead during a police chase they opened fire at a social services centre in southern California, killing at least 14 people.

Relatives of the pair said they were married and expressed their "shock" at the shooting.

Police said the shooters wore "assault-style" clothing and were armed with assault rifles in the attack, which lasted for "several minutes" at the Inland Regional Center, a facility for people with disabilities, where a Christmas party was taking place.

San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said US-born Farook was a county employee - an environmental specialist at the public health department where he had worked for five years.

"He was at the party. He did leave the party under some circumstances that were described as angry or something of that nature," said Mr Burguan.

Another 17 were injured in the attack in the city, about 60 miles (96km) east of Los Angeles.

Bomb squad specialists were sent into the building to examine a number of suspicious items and police said at least one explosive device was believed to have been found.

The suspects were reported to have fled in a black SUV and police later stopped a vehicle matching that description near San Bernardino Airport.

Shots were reportedly fired from the vehicle during a chase and armoured BearCat vehicles surrounded it, with officers believing there was at least one wounded suspect in the back.

Police confirmed two suspects - a man and a woman armed with assault rifles and possibly explosives - were dead while a third person seen running away from the vehicle had been detained.