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Death penalty sought in Calif. salon killings

SANTA ANA, Calif., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a man accused of shooting and killing 8 people in a Seal Beach, Calif., salon.

Scott Dekraai, 41, is charged with eight counts of special circumstance first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with the shoot-up of Salon Meritage in Seal Beach where his ex-wife worked, the Los Angeles Times reported.

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"Wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with three firearms, he walked through the salon shooting anyone close enough to hit," said Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. "He stopped to reload, and then continued gunning people down. He was not satisfied with murdering his intended target, his ex-wife."

Officials say Dekraai used at least two handguns and wore body armor.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Erick L. Larsh postponed the arraignment to Nov. 29, granting attorney Robert Curtis time to assemble a defense team and for a medical evaluation of Dekraai to be performed.

"I won't be surprised if we get an insanity plea," Rackauckas said.

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