Seal Beach Massacre: Suspect's Ex-Wife Claimed Abuse

Oct. 13, 2011— -- The ex-wife of the gunman who allegedly opened fire at a southern California hair salon where she was employed claimed that he was unstable and abusive in court documents filed in May.

The couple was engaged in a custody dispute over their 7-year-old son and Michelle Fournier Dekraai claimed Scott Evans Dekraai was unstable and physically abusive during their marriage, according to the Associated Press.

The shooting rampage on Wednesday left eight people dead and one critically wounded in the deadliest shooting ever in Orange County. Police announced at a news conference today that they plan on releasing the identities of the victims on Friday.

"This was not a random act of violence. The suspect knew his intended victim," acting Chief of Police Tim Olson said at the news conference.

In the court document, she alleged that Scott Dekraai was "almost manic" in regards to decisions about their son and she asked the court to refuse his request for more time with the child, according to the AP.

Court documents also reveal that Scott Dekraai's step-father also filed a restraining order against him, according to ABC News' Los Angeles affiliate KABC.

Seal Beach police allege that Dekraai, an ex-marine, entered Salon Meritage in Seal Beach, Calif., wearing a bullet-proof vest and opened fire, killing six people immediately. The six victims were declared dead at the scene.

Three people were hospitalized with severe wounds and two of them later died, police said.

Tonight, police identified and released the names of the eight people killed in the shooting.

Those killed included: salon owner Randy Fannin, Victoria Buzzo, Lucia Kondas, Laura Elody, David Caouette, Christy Wilson, Michelle Fast and Michelle Fournier Dekraai, The Associated Press reported.

It was not immediately clear if the victims were customers or employees.

Fournier's relatives told affiliate KABC that she was killed in the shooting, and that she was the main target of the attack because of an alleged custody dispute.

Authorities responded to the shooting at the salon in the coastal town about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. The salon is in the 500 block of Pacific Coast Highway.

"Our officers arrived on scene and found multiple gunshot victims inside of the salon," Sgt. Steve Bowles of the Seal Beach Police Department told reporters Wednesday evening. "Other responding officers who arrived saw ... what they thought was a suspect vehicle leaving the area and made a car stop on that vehicle, and took that suspect into custody."

Bowles said the salon was busy at the time of the shooting, with every station occupied. He said it appeared that the victims were seeking shelter when they were shot. Some of the people inside managed to escape unharmed.

The 911 call came from outside of the business.

Dekraai was taken into custody a half-mile from the crime scene. Police said he was driving through a residential area in the direction of Huntington Beach, Calif.

"They had him by the shirt, and when they pulled the shirt up, they realized he had a bullet proof vest, they took that off and by that time they already had him handcuffed," said Tom Windham, who witnessed the arrest.

Police said Dekraai was cooperative at the time of the arrest and was taken to the Seal County Police Department.

Police cordoned off the light blue bungalow in nearby Huntington Beach, Dekraai's home for the past two years. Neighbors told reporters they often saw him out in the yard playing catch with his son.

"Seal Beach is a small safe community. We don't experience these things," Bowles said.