Simi shooting leaves 2 dead, 2 injured
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

The motive in a shooting rampage that left two people dead and two injured on Tuesday morning is still unclear, Simi Valley police said Thursday.

Susan Sutcliffe, 53, was fatally shot while waiting for service at Tire Pros at 4386 E. Los Angeles Ave. The killer, Simi Valley resident Robert Becerra, 29, was found dead at the scene from a selfinflicted gunshot wound, according to Sgt. David Livingstone of the Simi Valley Police Department.

Tire Pros manager Henry John Heeber IV, 37, is in good condition at Simi Valley Hospital. He suffered gunshot wounds to both arms, according to hospital spokesperson Jeremy Brewer.

The fourth shooting victim, 20-year-old Tire Pros employee Albert Ramirez of Moorpark, was hit in the stomach and is in serious condition at Simi Valley Hospital, Brewer said.

On Thursday morning Livingstone said, "The detectives are still trying to piece together a motive. They are speaking to family members of the suspect and trying to determine what state of mind he was in prior to the shooting and if there were any emotional or traumatic events that took place in his life over the past few weeks."

At approximately 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a report of gunshots. They found the four victims at the scene and later identified Becerra as the assailant.

Shasta Gainer, deputy medical examiner with the county of Ventura, confirmed that Sutcliffe and Becerra died from gunshot wounds to the head. Becerra's death was classified as a suicide, Sutcliffe's as a homicide.

Livingstone said in a prepared statement that Becerra had no history with Simi police besides a February speeding ticket. A previous contact with police occurred in 2005, when Becerra reported he had fired his father's handgun at what he thought was a prowler in his backyard.

Though the bullet was found at a neighbor's house, no charges were filed because the neighbor told police that he didn't think Becerra meant to cause him any harm. Police have not released any further information about Becerra.

Cosme Torres, owner of the nearby Newcastle Motors, said John Heeber ran down the block into the Newcastle garage asking for help.

"He was bleeding a lot from the arms," Torres said. "He was saying 'Call 911, Call 911!'"

A video surveillance recording from Newcastle Motors shows Heeber running into the complex, holding his arms up, trying to get the attention of employees. Footage from moments later shows Heeber sitting in a chair near the office door and Torres making a phone call.

Roberta Woods, co-owner of Simi Valley Honda on the same block, said police had already cordoned off the area when she and her husband, Jim, arrived for work.

"(The police) kept us closed until they cleaned up out front," she said. "They didn't let us go to the front because of the trail of blood outside."

At Simi Valley Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, about 50 members of Blessed Hope Chapel joined friends and family of the injured, said Pastor Joe Schimmel. He said Heeber, who is a member of the congregation, became manager of Tire Pros just under a year ago and said no one in the shop had recognized Becerra.

"He said the guy just blended right in," Schimmel said. "(The assailant) just came up and shot the lady in the front who was waiting outside the showroom. He came in and shot Albert, at which point John emerged from his office and saw Albert on the ground. The guy was still standing in the doorway.

"It's tragic because John is always reaching out to people," Schimmel said. "We just thank God that his life was spared. All of our hearts go out to John and to those families who've lost their loved ones. Our hearts break for them, too."