Nicholas Thalasinos and Michael Raymond Wetzel have been identified as two of the 14 people killed in the San Bernardino, California, mass shooting.
Thalasinos’s ex-wife, Annette Thalasinos, told CNN about the death on Thursday. His current wife, Jennifer Thalasinos, also posted on Facebook that her husband was killed.
In what appears to be a coincidence, Thalasinos posted on Facebook that he received a death threat the evening before he was killed.
Thalasinos posted Tuesday evening that he received a message from an “anti-Semitic” Facebook user that read: “you will never sucsseed [sic] to make a country for jews, because you are criminals and cowards, you are juste using usa and Europe to fight for you, soon you ll get your ass kicked, you will die and never see Israel as country believe me never.”
The text was posted with a screen grab of the man’s Facebook who allegedly sent the message. That man’s profile listed Ukraine as the location. Nothing on the page, however, indicated a link to Wednesday’s events.
Thalasinos referred to himself as a Zionist and often posted pro-Israel messages.
Another person killed in the shooting was Michael Raymond Wetzel.
His wife, Renee, said, “Michael was the most amazing person. He was my best friend and an incredible father who was loved by all. I didn’t know a better person. He loved his work and his family so very much. Without him, this family will never be the same. We appreciate all the love and support that everyone is showing.”
She concluded by asking for privacy.
A member of the New York Giants said his cousin was killed in San Bernardino, according to team spokesperson Corry Rush.
Safety Nat Berhe tweeted earlier Thursday, “Just got word that one of my cousins was among the 14 killed yesterday, I’m so sick right now.” Berhe is on injured reserve and not playing with the team.
CNN is not naming the cousin until authorities confirm the name.
Authorities said the names of other victims may be released later in the day.
A man and woman entered the conference center at the Inland Regional Center on Wednesday morning and began firing automatic weapons at a group of environmental health department employees attending a holiday party.
Fourteen people were killed and 21 were wounded, authorities have said. Police later killed the couple, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, in a shootout.
Many of the people killed have been identified and some of the family notifications have already been made, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said. Some of the bodies had not been removed from the conference center on Thursday, he said.
At least 10 people were still hospitalized, split evenly between Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and Loma Linda University Medical Center. Loma Linda hospital CEO Kerry Heinrich said two victims there were in critical condition.
A San Bernardino police officer was shot in the leg and should be released from the hospital soon, Burguan said. A sheriff’s deputy suffered cuts to the legs because of broken glass and shrapnel, he said.
