Fashion Island shooting suspect reportedly ‘unhappy with life’

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Details began to emerge about the gunman who allegedly fired more than 50 shots in the parking lot of the Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach on Saturday.

Witnesses said the suspect appeared to fire into the air in several quick volleys.

Marcos Gurrola, 42, of Garden Grove, was arrested in the parking lot near the Macy’s department store shortly after allegedly firing the shots about 4:30 p.m., said Kathy Lowe, a spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Police Department. Officers on bike patrol apprehended the man.

Police searched the mall but did not find anyone who had been struck by the gunfire. The shots were apparently fired either in the air or at the ground.

A shopper in the parking lot recorded a video capturing the gunfire and posted it on YouTube.

KCBS-TV reported that Gurrola told police after his arrest that he was ‘unhappy with life’ and that the suspect lived in his car. More than 50 rounds were recovered at the scene, said Deputy Chief David McGill. A handgun was recovered at the scene, but police did not reveal any more details about the weapon.

The mall was crowded with holiday shoppers at the time of the gunfire.

Shopper Dena Nassef said she and another person were walking toward Macy’s when people started yelling and running.

“With what happened in Connecticut, we were freaking out,” she said. “It was like crazy, people leaving stores.”

Ann Butcher, an employee at Macy’s, said she was on the patio at Whole Foods when people started running and screaming. She said some women left their purses and fled.

“That was very scary,” she said.

Shopper Eric Widmer said he was at the Barnes & Noble bookstore when he saw a mother and daughter rush in crying. He said he heard someone scream, “Shooter!”

He said he managed to exit the bookstore and head to Macy’s, which he could not leave.

“I thought, ‘Great, I get to be scared twice,’” he said. “Lightning strikes twice.”

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— Lauren Williams in Newport Beach and Rosanna Xia in Los Angeles