Mourners will pay tribute Thursday to those killed in Wednesday's mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, as details emerged about the fallen.

The names and stories of the victims began to surface Thursday as the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office prepares to publicly identify the 14 people killed in Wednesday's attack at a Southern California treatment center for people with developmental disabilities.

At least seven churches planned to hold a prayer vigil Thursday evening in support of the communities affected by the mass shooting that also left 21 wounded.

Among those who died is Michael Wetzel, a father of six, his church confirmed on Thursday. According to a friend, three of the children were from Wetzel's previous marriage to a woman named Amy and two were from a prior relationship of his current wife, Renee. The couple also had one child together.

Church of the Woods in Lake Arrowhead, California, has set up a page to assist the family, with whom Pastor Ron Akins spent the morning, according to a church spokeswoman. Another fundraising page established to help the Wetzel family has raised more than $40,000.

A second victim has been identified by friends as Damien Meins, whose family declined to speak with the media Thursday.

Victim Nicholas Thalasinos was identified by his wife, Jennifer, who said her husband was a Messianic Jew and her faith was strong. Jennifer said she knows her husband is in the arms of God. She noted that Thalasinos was very outspoken politically, and she felt he was a martyr for his faith.

Tamishia Clayborn confirmed her sister, Sierra Clayborn, was also killed in Wednesday's attack. She was very upset and did not want to talk.

After a day of holding out hope, Ryan Reyes confirmed his boyfriend, Daniel Kaufman, was killed in the rampage. Reyes said he went to the community center seeking information about Kaufman and was initially told his boyfriend had been shot in the arm and was undergoing surgery. It turned out to be misinformation.

"It was confirmed that Daniel's body has been positively identified as being one of the casualties at the scene," he told NBC News on Thursday. "Everything that I was told yesterday was misinformation."

"Everyone in my family is devastated," said Reyes' uncle, Gregory Johnson, who joined Reyes in the search for Kaufman on Wednesday night. "Daniel was a good person that we all loved."

Two vigils are slated for 6 p.m. PST  at St. Paul's United Methodist Church of San Bernardino and the Baitul Hameed Mosque.

"We condemn this senseless and horrific act of violence in the strongest possible terms," said Ahsan Khan, the president of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Los Angeles East Chapter. "Our community has been in San Bernardino County for nearly three decades, and yet have never seen such depravity. Our hearts go out to the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with them as their neighbors and brothers and sisters in peace."

Crisis response experts from Los Angeles were at the disposal of San Bernardino County authorities Thursday following a massacre blamed on a couple with a connection to Saudi Arabia, and investigators examined whether international terrorism was a factor in the violence.

The Islamic Center of San Diego, one of Southern California’s largest mosques, was increasing security  Thursday following the massacre in San Bernardino.

Bags were being checked as people entered the mosque on Eckstrom Avenue. The increase in security follows Wednesday's hours-long shooting rampage at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino. Fourteen people were killed and 21 were wounded, including two police officers.

The suspects in the shooting have been identified as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 27. Both were killed in a fierce shootout with police. Investigators have not identified a motive.

Malik was Pakistani and moved to the U.S. two years ago when she married Farook, investigators said. Farook was an Illinois native who worked for the County of San Bernardino as a health inspector for five years.

At the Islamic Center of San Diego, mosque employees and worshippers will be on the lookout of anyone who is not a familiar face, one of the imams told NBC 7.

The San Diego Police Department will post a patrol car on the grounds Friday along with extra officers, according to mosque administrators.

The mosque usually has private security on the grounds but today's presence was increased. 

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday the city will support the release of dashcam video showing the fatal police shooting of another young African American man.

"We'll do that next week," Emanuel said at an unrelated event Thursday.

The mayor's comment on the Ronald Johnson dashcam video comes more than one week after the city released dashcam video showing a Chicago police officer fatally shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times last year.

The McDonald shooting video has sparked several protests in the city and prompted calls for the mayor and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez to resign. Earlier this week, Emanuel fired Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy.

There are similarities between the deaths of McDonald and Johnson, who died only eight days before McDonald. The most glaring similarity between the two cases is the dashcam video of the shooting that the city was fighting to keep hidden from the public.

Police said in a statement after Johnson was killed that officers responded to a call of "shots fired" on the 5300 block of South King Dr. on Oct. 12, 2014. When police arrived at the scene, they saw a man who fit the description of the offender.

Police said that when officers approached the man, he fled the scene on foot. During the pursuit, the man "pointed his weapon in the direction of the pursuing officers."

"As a result of this action, an officer discharged his weapon striking the offender," police said in the statement. The man was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A weapon was recovered from the scene, police said in the statement.

Johnson's mother Dorothy Holmes believes the dash-cam video of her son's death will clear his name.

"He didn't have a gun in his hand because I also have seen the video," Holmes said. "I looked at it twice."

The Johnson family and attorney Michael Oppenheimer said they have already viewed the dashcam video and noted there is no audio on it – even though the videos typically have sound. There was also no audio on the dashcam video from the fatal shooting of McDonald.

Oppenheimer said Johnson was riding in a car with friends when they were stopped by police. Johnson got out of the car and ran.

"As he was running, other police officers chased him," Oppenheimer said. "Nobody fired their weapons until George Hernandez pulled up in a car, got out and drew his weapon and fired five shots at the back of Ronald Johnson."

Oppenheimer says Officer George Hernandez pulled up in an unmarked police vehicle with his gun drawn. He added that within two seconds, Hernandez shot Johnson as he was running away.

Hernandez said at the time that he felt threatened, city records show. He was placed on desk duty following the shooting, according to Oppenheimer.

"You can clearly see his hands in the video. He is running what I would term to be straight ahead," Oppenheimer said. "He never turns. He never points. And there is nothing in his hand."

Oppenheimer filed a lawsuit to have the dashcam video released – after he says the city refused to hand it over. Court records show that Johnson has four prior arrests.

Two of the charges were dismissed and the others pled down to misdemeanors.

Johnson's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court.

"It's not going to bring him back," Holmes said. "It's not going to make me happy. I don't want it."

Gelson’s Markets – one of the grocery store chains that recently acquired several defunct Haggen locations in San Diego – is now looking to hire staffers for its Del Mar location.

The California supermarket chain has planned a job fair for Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the site of the former Haggen store located at 2707 Via de la Valle – soon to be transformed into a Gelson’s Market.

Interested applicants are asked to apply online here, and to print and bring their application to the job fair, along with their resume.

Gelson’s plans to hire between 80 and 140 associates with the store, with priority given to former associates of the Del Mar Haggen, the company confirmed. Still, first-time applicants and employees at other Gelson’s locations are also encouraged to apply.

Gelson’s Markets was founded in Burbank, Calif., in 1951 and currently operates 18 upscale stores in Southern California. The company is known for fresh, high-quality produce, as well as restaurant-quality meat and seafood.

Recently, the grocery chain announced it had successfully acquired three former Haggen locations in San Diego County: the Del Mar store, a Carlsbad location and a store in Pacific Beach. Gelson’s also snagged a former Haggen site in Laguna Beach, Calif.

Meanwhile, more than a dozen other soon-to-close Haggen stores across San Diego County have been officially acquired by Smart & Final, including locations in El Cajon, Santee, La Mesa, Chula Vista, Coronado and San Ysidro.
 

The mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, on Wednesday was the sixth mass shooting to take place this past week. In fact, this year, there have been more mass shootings — defined as incidents in which four or more victims are shot — than days in the calendar year, NBC News reported.

The U.S. has seen 355 mass shootings so far in 2015, according to ShootingTracker.com, which tracks deaths by guns in America. 

The San Bernardino shooting, in which 14 people were killed and 17 others injured, is the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, three years ago, which claimed the lives of 26 people. 

San Diego police say officers are investigating another overdose involving synthetic marijuana, also known as "spice."

The overdose took place in the 1200 block of Imperial Avenue at about 1:25 p.m. Thursday.

Officials with San Diego Fire-Rescue say at least five people overdosed on spice this time at two separate locations: the trolley station near Park Boulevard and Imperial Avenue and at 14th Street and Imperial Avenue.

Several overdose patients were taken to UCSD Medical Center, officials said. The investigation is ongoing, with officials trying to determine if this case is linked to dozens of others reported throughout downtown San Diego in recent weeks.

On Nov. 28, at least 12 people were treated for smoking spice. Another dozen were sickened on Nov. 22 by what officials are calling a "tainted" batch.

Synthetic marijuana or spice can cause hallucination, psychosis and agitation.

The drug consists of dried plant material sprayed with laboratory-produced cannabinoids and is used as an alternative to smoking marijuana.

Synthetic marijuana is popular among teens and young adults and has been linked to altered mental status, increased heart rate and acute kidney injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

San Diego’s hip South Park neighborhood is set to showcase its unique, independent businesses this weekend with another edition of its quarterly community event – this time with a holiday twist.

The Holiday Walkabout will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the South Park business district, between Kalmia and 30th streets on the north end of the neighborhood and Beech and 30th streets on the south end.

The quarterly South Park Walkabout is held several times each year as a way to showcase the business district as patrons enjoy live entertainment, food and shopping deals.

A free trolley arrives every 15 minutes to transport visitors throughout the business district during the Walkabout. Trolley stops include: 30th and Juniper streets; west side of 30th Street between Hawthrone and Grape streets; Beech and Dale streets; and Grape Square at Grape and Fern streets.

Typically, on the Thursday before each Walkabout, this website posts a “Walking Guide” that lists the activities featured at the event, which often includes crafts for the kids, Happy Hour deals for adults and even free snacks at participating eateries.

Visitors can pick up a complimentary Walking Guide with info on those offers at the event, too, at the Walkabout Info Booth located in the California Liquor lot on Juniper and 30th streets.

South Park hosts the Walkabouts each season – spring, summer, fall and winter – and most dates for 2016 already set, including events slated for Mar. 19, July 9 and Oct. 8, 2016.
 

San Diego Police closed down Balboa Avenue in Clairemont Thursday to investigate a hit-and-run crash involving a van and a scooter.

The incident happened at approximately 4:30 a.m. near Balboa Avenue and Mt. Everest Boulevard.

Officers say a white van dragged a Vespa 50 to 75 yards before coming to a stop. The driver of the white van left the vehicle, officers said.

The scooter driver was transported to a nearby hospital.

Police say the driver of the Vespa suffered minor injuries and is expected to survive.

The driver of the van came up behind the Vespa and hit him from behind, police said. The Vespa driver was transported on the hood of the van for about 50 yards.

San Diego Police patrol cars blocked off Balboa Avenue in both directions at Mt. Culebra to Genesee Avenue for several hours. 

The clock is running out for the city of San Diego to work a deal to keep the Chargers.

NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell announced Wednesday city officials have until Dec. 28 to come up with a proposal to keep the Chargers in town. Goodell spoke to reporters after the NFL owners meeting in Dallas, saying the same deadline applies to Oakland and St. Louis.

"We believe the stadiums in Los Angeles, as well as other markets that are large markets, should be capable of hosting two teams. That's a very important imperative for us,” said Goodell.

The owners also agreed to meet Jan. 12 and 13 in Houston to discuss the move of an NFL team to Los Angeles for interested franchises.

Some speculated the group could vote on an L.A. move at that time. The owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, told reporters there is a “strong feeling” among owners that two teams should relocate to L.A.

"I think we're going to have solutions that are going to be presented to the membership, and they're going to have to make a determination. I don't run on instinct. I run on facts and being thoughtful and running on the processes that we have and allowing ownership to make those decisions," said Goodell.

In another major development, the NFL commissioner announced they did receive a letter from St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, saying he would be willing to share his proposed stadium in Inglewood with another team.

Jim Lackritz, a business sports expert and former SDSU professor, told NBC 7 he is skeptical that the San Diego Chargers would want to be part of that deal.

“There's a lot of development that’s going be around that Inglewood area, Kroenke’s initial proposal makes it look like ‘Jerry World 2’ to even one-up what they're trying to do in Dallas, and my gut reaction is that Dean Spanos would not want to play second banana where all he can do is be involved only with the football day to day,” said Lackritz.

The San Diego Mayor’s office responded to the comments Wednesday with this statement:

"Commissioner Goodell reiterated the NFL wants certainty in stadium plans from home markets, and alluded to accomplishing that without a public vote. To be perfectly clear, the Mayor remains unwavering in his commitment to a public vote on a stadium, and is prepared to work with the team on a feasible plan that would be put before voters if they remain in San Diego in 2016."

Lackritz said the only real hope for local Chargers fans is that the cities of Oakland and St. Louis will be closer to a deal that could keep those teams in their home markets.
 

A San Diego County man raped one woman and tried to sexually assault another as he broke into four apartments in the span of one night, according to San Diego County Sheriff’s officials.

At about 2:35 a.m. Wednesday, deputies arrested Michael Anthony Espinoza, 22, as he ran near an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Alturas Road in Fallbrook.

After interviewing the apartment residents, investigators discovered Espinoza had allegedly been raiding units through the night.

Deputies say the series started when Espinoza burglarized one of the apartment units Tuesday evening.

Then, the second victim, a 62-year-old woman, said the suspect broke into her apartment, sexually assaulted her and left.

About 10 minutes later, Espinoza is accused of getting into a third apartment. However, he quickly ran out when the woman inside spotted him and called 911.

Officials say Espinoza entered a fourth unit and tried to sexually assault a 39-year-old woman while she was in bed with her husband. When the woman screamed, the suspect fled.

Deputies heard the victim’s screams, they say, and saw a man matching the suspect’s description running from her home.

After a short foot chase, deputies arrested Espinoza.

The suspect is being held on a $1.4 million bail, charged with residential burglary, penetration with a foreign object with force, rape with force and assault with intent to commit rape during the commission of a burglary.

The investigation is ongoing. If you know anything about these crimes, call the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department at 858-565-5200.

An unaccompanied two-year-old boy was found wandering the streets of San Diego’s Grantville area early Thursday, police confirmed.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said a passerby found the toddler around 3:45 a.m. in the 5800 of Rancho Mission Road and called police.

It is unclear, at this point, why the child was out at this hour or why he was unsupervised.

Police officers picked up the boy and took him to the A.B. & Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center, a 24-hour facility that serves as a temporary emergency shelter for San Diego children separated from their families.

The police department did not immediately release further details of this case, including details on the child's parents.

Police did say they received a separate phone call around the same time as this incident from someone reporting their 2-year-old was missing near Mission Center Road. Officials are investigating if this call is related to the toddler discovered wandering on Rancho Mission Road. The streets are approximately three miles apart in the Mission Valley East and Grantville areas, respectively.
 

The owner of a local tax preparation business pleaded guilty in court Wednesday to filing false income tax returns.

Melissa Ann Vega, also known as Lisa Vega filed more than 4,000 fake returns and received over $7 million dollars in undeserved refunds from the IRS.

Owner of L&T Works, a tax preparation business in Miramar, Vega pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to file false, fictitious, and fraudulent claims for federal tax refunds, tax evasion and aggravated identity theft.

Between December 2009 and April 2015 Vega conspired with others to defraud the IRS out of millions of dollars. Vega falsified clients’ tax returns without their knowledge and claimed thousands of dollars in false education expenses and tax credits for which her clients were not qualified.

She told employees and co-conspirators to file for a $4,000 education credit for their clients in order to get the maximum refund – even when clients had not attended school for the tax year.

Vega intentionally omitted her name and tax return preparer identification number to conceal her identity.

She and her co-conspirators also stole the identities of people – including minors – to increase the refund amount.

Not only did she charge clients $150 to $200 per return, Vega also stole over $300,000 from her clients by having false refunds sent to bank accounts she controlled.

She also admitted that she evaded her own income taxes and filed false personal tax returns in which she fraudulently claimed withholding credits, education credits, and tax credits for minor dependents that she did not support and were not related to her.

According to court documents, Vega evaded more than $156,000 in taxes due to the IRS between 2009 and 2013.

A previously convicted felon, the plea agreement also set forth a forfeiture provision in which she agreed to surrender several firearms seized at her home during the execution of a search warrant in April 2014, including a sawed-off shotgun, shotgun shells, a 9mm handgun, and 9mm ammunition.

Her husband, Jamie Lang, pleaded guilty to possessing the unregistered sawed-off shotgun and is scheduled to be sentenced in this case on December 18.

Vega also agreed to forfeit $18,600 in refund profits seized during the search, and she is prohibited from preparing or filing taxes for anyone other than herself in the future.

After being released on bond last January, and warned not to commit another federal crime, she began filing false tax returns within days of her release. She was arrested on February 25, 2015.

Vega agreed with fellow conspirator Deanna Dave to misrepresent to the grand jury that Dave was the owner and paid-return preparer for the tax returns filed in February 2015. In truth, Vega continued as the owner of her business and prepared the false tax returns, which she filed for her clients.

On November 17, 2015, Dave pleaded guilty to making a false declaration before the grand jury, and her sentencing is scheduled for February 5, 2016.

“Tax return preparers owe a duty to their clients to prepare tax returns that are accurate and comply with the law,” said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. “Tax return preparers who defraud the IRS out of millions of dollars, intentionally falsify tax returns, and steal the identities of minor dependents breach the public’s trust and undermine confidence in the tax system. This Office and our law enforcement partners will vigilantly pursue allegations of such misconduct in order to protect the community and the public.”

Separately, three other defendants have entered guilty pleas admitting their roles in the tax fraud conspiracy.

Gunshots forced three schools, a hospital, and an air force base to be locked down for almost an hour on Wednesday, NBC News reported.

Thursday night, it was disclosed there were no gunshots, instead, the sound came from bubble wrap.

The base lifted the lockdown Wednesday afternoon, saying forces “could not substantiate the claims of gunfire.” A spokeswoman for the base told NBC station KOB on Thursday that the bangs came from someone popping “heavy duty” bubble wrap.

The person who popped the bubble wrap came forward, telling security forces: "Hey, I think that was me. It was louder than I expected," according to the Albuquerque Journal.

A driver hit and killed a bicyclist in Mission Valley Thursday night, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said.

The deadly accident happened around 8:30 p.m. in the 8800 block of Friars Road and Rio Bonito.

According to police, a 22-year-old man, accompanied by two passengers, was driving his BMW eastbound on Friars Road. As a bicyclist crossed the lanes on the roadway in a diagonal motion, the driver hit the cyclist.

Police said the bicyclist was killed in the collision. The driver suffered a minor injury, while his passengers were unharmed.

The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with police. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on this crash should call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
 

An Inland Regional Center employee, who left work just two hours before 35 people were gunned down in the building’s conference center, is mourning the loss of her coworker, unable to understand why his life was taken.

“My friend is dead. My life is not more valuable than his,” said Valerie Manibusan. She was among 3,500 people who shed tears and lit candles to honor the 14 killed and 21 injured in San Bernardino’s Inland Regional Center (IRC) during a holiday party.

The mourners packed into the San Manuel Stadium Thursday night to share their grief. Manibusan, a case manager at the IRC, told NBC 7 she left work early that day.

When she heard about the shooting, she turned on the news, and many thoughts flooded her head.

“"My coworkers, I was there and then I left, and I'm watching my coworkers on TV going into buses and walking with their hands held high. It's just surreal,” Manibusan said.

Just before she arrived at the vigil, she found out she knew one of the victims – Daniel Kaufman. Manibusan said she saw Daniel nearly every day during her trips to the building’s coffee shop.

Even if those in the crowd did not personally know any of the victims, they all felt a connection to the tragedy.

“We are part of San Berarndino, California, United States of America, and we’re proud of that,” said Omer Sidiqui.

The San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office released the name of those slain in the attack Thursday. Click here to learn more about each victim.

When asked what she wants people to take away from this moment, Manibusan said, "I don't want them to forget. I want them to be aware. I want them to comfort and provide support because people are going to need it."

There was a strong police presence at the vigil, as officers in patrol uniforms and battle fatigues covered the area. The two-hour vigil took place without incident.

While the holidays can be a joyous time, they can also be a time for our pets to get into mischief.

County Animal Services has several tips to help pet owners keep their animals safe, healthy and happy throughout the holidays.

Mistletoe, holly, and poinsettias, while traditionally beautiful décor, are toxic to be pets and should be hung somewhere they can’t reach. Sweets like chocolates and cookies are also poisonous to furry friends.

Make sure the Christmas tree is safely anchored so that pets can’t knock it over, and if you use anything other than water at the base of the tree be careful pets don’t drink it.

Don’t let pets chew on electrical cords and make sure candles are in a safe place and never unattended when lit.

Keep tinsel and ribbon away from cats who like to play with and ingest the shiny décor.

Dogs need a safe place during New Year’s Eve fireworks. The explosive sounds startle them making them want to escape. If they get out of the house they could run for miles trying to get away from the sound and eventually get lost. It’s a good idea to always keep identification on your dog just in case.

Remember to microchip your dog or cat. With family and friends visiting a pet could slip out the door unnoticed. Animal Services offers microchipping from 1 to 3 p.m. every Thursday except holidays. The fee is only $10 and includes national registration.

Dog owners can also sign up for Finding Rover, a free service that uses facial recognition to find lost dogs. Just upload a photo of your dog on to the site.

The holidays should be a fun time for everyone – including your best buddies. Don’t let Fido get lost in the festive shuffle…and don’t make him wear that Santa outfit too much either.
 

The University of San Diego women’s basketball team improved to 7-0 with a 60-53 victory over their neighbors from San Diego State.

The Toreros were led in scoring by senior Malina Hood who tallied 21 points.

She and Cori Woodward each hit a three to give USD a 50-44 lead after the Aztecs had rallied to tie the game at 44.

USD led by 9 entering the 4th quarter but SDSU went on a quick 11-2 run keyed by a 3 pointer from Kymberly Ellison.

Ellison and McKyenzie Ford each scored 14 points to pace the Aztecs.

SDSU falls to 2-5 with the loss.

The men’s basketball teams from USD and SDSU face-off on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the culmination of the Bill Walton Basketball Festival at Petco Park.

The Pakistani woman killed in a shootout with police after the San Bernardino massacre, entered the U.S. through a visa program for foreigners engaged to American citizens, federal government sources told NBC News. 

Tashfeen Malik, 27, received a fiancé visa, known as a K-1 visa, which allows a foreign fiancé to travel to the U.S. for a wedding within 90 days. Malik married the other suspected shooter, Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, about two years ago, a family member told NBC News.

The fiancé visa program has one of the more rigorous security screening processes. It requires an applicant to submit a standard non-immigrant form, with personal and security questions, plus certificates from police in every country an applicant has lived for over six months, a medical examination, a passport, documentation of financial support, proof of the relationship with a U.S. citizen and various fees. 

"If you're bringing a fiancé to the U.S., there's more scrutiny for that than for tourist visas," said David Seminara, a former diplomat who authored a report about "Green Card Marriages" for the Center for Immigration Studies.

The brother-in-law of one of the San Bernardino shooting suspects said Wednesday’s massacre had nothing to do with Syed Rizwan Farook's religion, but rather was a “personal act” that he hopes wouldn't reflect on all Muslims.

"I am Muslim; I'm a good person. There is a lot of good Muslims there," Farhan Khan told NBC's Lester Holt. "He was a bad person. That was his personal act." 

Khan said he had no idea what prompted the rampage. 

Police said Farook, 28, attended a holiday party at a state-run social services center Wednesday and left "angry." They believe he came back with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 27, and opened fire, killing 14 and injuring 21 others. The couple died more than four hours later in a shootout with police.

"I wish we could have… some slightest idea," Khan told NBC News Thursday.

Khan said his brother-in-law wasn’t a political person and never gave any indication as to what may have motivated him to attack party-goers with four guns and and an explosive device that failed to detonate. Many of those killed were county employees, authorities said.

Officials told NBC News that Farook may have been radicalized, and U.S. intelligence sources have said Farook was in contact with extremists under FBI surveillance.

A friend of shooting victim Nicholas Thalasinos told The Associated Press that Farook had a heated conversation about Islam two weeks before the attack. She said Thalasinos, a Messianic Jew, told her Farook "doesn't agree that Islam is not a peaceful religion" and that Americans don't understand Islam. Thalasinos and Farook worked together for the county health department.

Thalasinos' wife, Jennifer, told NBC Los Angeles that Farook got along with everybody, but she believes he was radicalized during a recent trip abroad.

"I think this was happening behind the scenes, he wasn't showing this part of himself at work because I know if he would've been, my husband would've had something to say," Jennifer Thalasinos said. "My husband was very outspoken about Islamic terrorism."

Khan, however, said his brother-in-law was a “good religious person,” who wasn’t a radical.

"It's his stupid action, nothing to do with religion at all. It's always going to be a question... You know, why he did something like that. A normal person living with my family. Why would he do something like that?” Khan wondered.

He expressed his condolences for the victims and their families that added that Farook’s family would have contacted authorities if there was any known threat.

Khan also spoke at a press conference Wednesday evening held by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, condemning the attacks.

"I am in shock that something like this can happen," he said on Wednesday.

Farook and Malik had an infant daughter, who was left with her grandmother before the shooting took place.

"You left your 6-month-old daughter…in this life," Khan said, as though speaking directly to his late brother-in-law. "Some people cannot have kids. God gave you a gift of a daughter. And you left that kid behind. What…what did you achieve?"

Khan said he hopes to adopt Farook and Malik’s orphaned girl, who's currently in protective custody.

Ari Mason contributed to this report.

Four people are dead and two have been hospitalized after a three-alarm fire tore through a home in Lynn, Massachusetts, Friday morning, according to the Lynn Fire Department.

Crews are on the scene at 24 Bruce Place and said 18 or 19 people lived in the home.

Two women, ages 18 and 60, were hospitalized with smoke and burn injuries, after they were rescued from the home, authorities said. Both were revived at the hospital.

Lynn Fire District Chief Jack Barry said, "It was absolutely amazing. I've been a firefighter in Lynn for 33 years and it was one of the most spectacular rescued I've seen. Those guys did an fantastic job."

Authorities have not released the identities of the four people killed.

Crews said the fire is out, but was difficult to extinguish. Part of the building has since collapsed.

The State Fire Marshal's Office says crews will likely be on scene all day.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.