Three stabbing victims in the deadly rampage near UC Santa Barbara, who were found dead in Elliot Rodger's apartment, were all from the Bay Area, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office has identified the victims as 20-year-old C.H. from San Jose, 19-year-old George Chen from San Jose, and 20-year old Weihan Wang of Fremont. All three victims were UCSB students and were found dead with multiple stab wounds.
They were Rodger's first three victims, police said.
C.H. and Cheng were listed on the lease for the apartment, along with Rodger. Investigators are looking into whether Wang was a roommate or was just visiting.
Sheriff’s investigators believe Rodger killed the victims prior to going on the shooting rampage where he killed three more and wounded 13 before taking his own life.
In mid-January, the sheriff said Rodger accused C.H. of stealing three candles, valued at $22. Rodger made a citizen’s arrest, and C.H. was charged with petty theft, which he pleaded guilty to.
NBC Bay Area has also learned C.H. volunteered as a tutor at the Rainbow Chinese School in San Jose in 2011 and 2012. He worked as a teaching assistant for a Chinese language course before heading to UC Santa Barbara.
It appears C.H. also attended Lynbrook High School and likely graduated in 2012.
A spokesperson for the school district said they do not have enough information to confirm that he was a graduate, however, the district is making grief counselors available on Tuesday when the students come back from the holiday weekend.
Chen's neighbors in San Jose, who were too upset to speak on camera, said he was a wonderful person--kind, gentle, and very respectful. One neighbor said when he was home, he would pick up the mail and the newspaper for her elderly dad.
Now, she cannot even bring herself to tell her father what happened.
Neighbors said George Chen’s parents are in Santa Barbara. Through tears, one woman said her heart is broken for them and much more needs to be done to prevent the violence that is affecting so many families tonight.
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And in the East Bay, family and friends were mourning the loss of Wang, who was majoring in Computer Science at UC Santa Barbara. Wang graduated from Fremont Christian School.
A family friend of Wang, Judy Ren, said she immigrated to the United States with his family 10 years ago from China. She said his parents cannot even speak right now.
"They are really sad. They cannot accept it," she said.
And now, Ren is afraid of sending her own 16-year-old child to college.
"You don't know where it is safe," she said. "You really think the college, the university should be a safe place--but they're not."
Ren said she believes Wang was an only child, since there is a one child policy in China. His family is expected to go to Santa Barbara tomorrow.
One of the victims who survived Friday night’s rampage is a graduate of San Ramon Valley High School in Danville. He is identified as Nick Pasichuke from Alamo, north of Danville.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Pasichuke was visiting a high school friend in Santa Barbara when Rodger allegedly hit him with his car, breaking both of his legs.
Pasichuke's family is in Santa Barbara now and said it has seen an outpouring of support from the community.
