FBI agents and local law enforcement examine the crime scene where suspects of the Inland Regional Center were killed on December 3, 2015 in San Bernardino, California.; Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Twenty-four hours after the shooting rampage in San Bernardino, details are slowly starting to come out.

What we know is that the shooters have been identified as Syed Rizwan Farook and his partner Tashfeen Malik. We know they live in Redlands and have a 6-month old daughter. We know 28-year-old Farook worked as a health inspector and attended the party that was held at the Inland Regional Center. But what we still don’t know is their motive.

How do investigators go about determining a motive in such a case? Could a tragedy like what happened yesterday in San Bernardino be prevented or anticipated?

​Read KPCC’s continuing coverage here.

Guests:

Erika Aguilar, KPCC Reporter in San Bernardino

Dr. Park Dietz, MD., MPH., PhD  founder of the Threat Assessment Group, Inc., a forensic and consulting firm focusing on workplace violence and the risk of threats. He has testified and consulted in cases such as the assassination attempt on President Reagan and the Unabomber investigation

Colin P. Clarke,  associate political scientist at the RAND Corporation, where his research focuses on national and international security; Author, “Terrorism, Inc.: The Financing of Terrorism, Insurgency, and Irregular Warfare” (Praeger Security International, 2015)

Gayle Perez, who lives on Center Street, waits near Center Street at Pine Avenue on Wednesday night, Dec. 2, 2015 as authorities serve a search warrant following a mass shooting inside the the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Much still remains unknown about yesterday’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, but this morning the community is beginning the healing process and searching for more information about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

In the tightly-knit community about an hour east of Los Angeles, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who is only a few degrees separated from victims of the shooting.

As part of our continuing coverage of the tragedy, AirTalk speaks with affected members of the community on how they are mentally, emotionally, and physically processing what happened.

Guests:

Chris Wong, a friend of a victim injured in the San Bernardino shooting

Larry Humphreys, executive director of Behavioral Autism Therapies

Rose Fuentes, Program Director, Interact Neurobehavior Program - which has worked with IRC for thirty years. Her husband Jose Fuentes, Clinical Neuropsychologist

Muslims hold a candlelight vigil at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on February 12, 2015 for the three Muslim students who were fatally shot in North Carolina. ; Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

28-year-old Syed Rizwan Farook was described by coworkers as a devout Muslim who was rarely the one to start a conversation, but not as a religious fanatic.

Details are still emerging about the mass shooting that authorities say Farook and 27-year-old Tashfeen Malik carried out Wednesday morning at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino. Malik has been identified by a family member as Farook’s wife. Earlier, CNN reported that officials had told them that Farook had radicalized and was in touch with terror suspects, though the details are still unclear.

Today, we hear from a local Muslim religious leader on how the community is responding to the tragedy and where it will go from here.

Guest:

Sheikh Yassir Fazaga, religious leader of Orange County Islamic Foundation in Mission Viejo

Redlands Police stand on Center Street near Pine Avenue on Wednesday night, Dec. 2, 2015 as authorities serve a search warrant following a mass shooting inside the the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

For some Angelenos, the proximity of the San Bernardino shootings fills them with fear that they too might be caught in a mass shooting.

However the true risk of that occurring is very, very low. Nonetheless, the fear persists. Shark bites (1 in 11.5 million according University of Florida Shark Attack File) and plane crashes (1 in 5 million and up to 11 million depending on source) freak people out too, despite numbers supporting that dying from those things won’t happen to you.

In other words, numbers show there is far more safety in this world than peril.

Why can fear rule over the reality of risk? Have the shootings made you feel more scared to live in LA?

Guest:

David Ropeik, author of "How Risky is it Really? Why our Fears don’t Match the Facts" and an instructor of risk perception and communication at Harvard

Redlands Police remain at the 50 block of N Center Street in Redlands on Thursday morning, Dec. 3, 2015. The location is being searched in connection to Wednesday's mass shooting. Twelve pipe bombs and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found at the location.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

It was one was of the most devastating mass shootings in United States history. Fourteen people were killed at a holiday party on Wednesday in San Bernardino. 

The San Bernardino shooting has left us with many questions. We are convening a conversation online. And, at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 4, we will hold a statewide, on-air conversation about what California can do in the face of this act. We are using the hashtag #WhatCACanDo, and we'd like your ideas starting now.

Here's what our listeners have been saying when we asked: What could have been done to prevent this? 

Assault weaponry has no business or purpose in the general public.

How close to a U.S. Representative or Senate members family does an event like this have to occur before real discussions on gun control will take place?

—Alan Corlin

Security cameras inside and out tied to a central database that local, State, and Federal agencies can SHARE. If you are going to have security on site, they should be trained and armed. We need to empower an army of volunteer first responders so facilities are not instantly overwhelmed and first aide can be administered on the scene rather than rushing non-life threatening cases to a packed ER.

— Nicholas Stanton​

The steps are: 1) admit there's a problem. 2) find possible solutions. 3) decide which one is best. 4) implement it. 5) reevaluate the situation, and make sure the fix worked. Why we haven't even completed step 1, I don't know. It probably starts with "N" and ends with "RA", though….

—Patrick Lee

In the type of event that occurred in San Bernardino, the one piece of information that struck me, was the amount of ammunition, not only found on the suspects in their vehicle, but also at their home. Later, at a news conference a journalist postured the question of whether or not there were a database that tracked the purchase of ammunition. The answer was no, which shocked me.

—Eileen Legge

Short of changing gun laws and massive security infrastructure upgrades, we need to lessen the appeal of guns, stop glorifying them, stop with the excessive violence in our entertainment and do a better job screening persons buying guns and those with mental illness. I would have to think that some of these suspects exhibited some clues to what they were thinking.

—M Hank Etess

No one needs an assault rifle except military and law enforcement. No one needs a handgun, really, but if they want one, cartridge size should be limited. I really think only guns used for hunting should be allowed, and the purpose of hunting guns is not to blow the animal to bits.

—Laura Monteros

Universal Background Checks. No automatic or assault riffles. No multi-cartridge magazines.
​
—Steve Kaplan

Join the live conversation broadcast on Friday at 3 p.m. by calling 866-893-KPCC (5722). Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #WhatCACanDo.

Redlands Police stand near Center Street and Pine Avenue on Wednesday night, Dec. 2, 2015 as authorities serve a search warrant following a mass shooting inside the the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

As details continue to trickle out about Wednesday’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, we still don’t know much about a motive for the attack.

There have been reports that a workplace dispute led the suspect to become enraged, while other reports suggest Farook had radicalized online and was in contact with terror suspects.

On Friday, it was reported that federal officials found that Tasfheen Malik, one of the suspects, had pledged allegiance to ISIS in a Facebook post made under an alias account.

What can we say with certainty so far about the suspects’ connection to terrorism? Is there a possibility of self-radicalization? What do we know about the suspects’ ability to construct bombs? Is it possible that the two suspected shooters could have pulled off the attack on their own, or do you think there had to be outside help?

​Guest:

Seth Jones, Director, International Security and Defense Policy Center, RAND Corporation think tank; Jones has served as the representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations; Author, "Hunting in the Shadows: The Pursuit of al Qa'ida after 9/11" (W.W. Norton, 2012)

Brian Michael Jenkins, Senior Advisor to the President of the Rand Corporation and one of the nation's leading experts on terrorism and homeland security

; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Harut Hovspyan, a physician at Loma Linda University Medical Center talks about his experience during the shooting in San Bernardino.

Guest:

Harut Hovspyan, M.D. at Loma Linda University Medical Center

Samar Natori (L), from Redlands, CA, with family and friends who are all Muslims arrive at a candlelight vigil at the San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, California, December 3, 2015. Vigils were held all around the region to mourn the 14 victims of the previous day's mass shooting in San Bernardino. ; Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

The tragic San Bernardino mass shooting has caused the Muslim community to take even more precautions in terms of displaying their religious affiliation.

Many have felt obligated to make public apologies in fear of being labeled as an extremist, while others have tried to convince friends and family to consider wearing something other than a headscarf. Muslims have expressed feeling vulnerable and exhausted by the constant accusations.

Do you know someone who has encountered discrimination? How has the Muslim community attempted to combat stereotypes while maintaining their identity?

Guests:

Amjad M. Khan, National Director of Public Affairs for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a leader at the San Bernardino County-based Baitul Hameed Mosque

An attendee wears a 2nd amendment shirt while inspecting an assault rifle during the 2013 NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Supreme Court has voted to not take up the case involving a ban on assault weapons enacted by a Chicago suburb.

The city of Highland Park banned the sale of or possession of assault rifles like the AR-15 and large capacity magazines.

The justices voted 7-2 to not take up the case. Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia were the dissenters.

The challenge to the ban was brought forth the Illinois State Rifle Association and Dr. Arie Friedman, a Highland Park resident who used to own semi-automatic weapons for self-defense.

The High Court’s action today to not take up the Second Amendment case is in keeping with a recent string of similar decisions.

Guests:

Michael Hammond, legislative counsel at the group, Gun Owners of America based in Virginia

Mike McLively, staff attorney and a Second Amendment expert at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence based in San Francisco

The cast of "Will and Grace", (L to R) Sean Hayes, Megan Mullally, Eric McCormack and Debra Messing.; Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The love shared between gay men and straight women is immortalized in many television shows, but the story doesn’t end with “Will and Grace.”

Exploring the magnetic draw between straight women and gay men is the subject of a new study out of The University of Texas at Arlington -- the researchers say it’s the first of its kind.

The bond sure makes intuitive sense. Women have a man with whom they share sexual orientation, with whom they can easily talk about what’s going on in bed. They get a willing man sharing his male perspective. For gay men, straight women might offer a compatibility not immediately or easily found in straight men.

Guests:

Eric Russell, Ph.D. student in experimental psychology, University of Texas at Arlington

Robert Hopcke, Author of “A Couple of Friends: The Remarkable Bond between Gay Men and Straight Women”

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the country from the Oval Office on December 6, 2015 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office last night calling the San Bernardino shootings an act of terrorism.  

He reiterated the current U.S. strategy for combating the so-called Islamic State militants, including airstrikes in Syria and Iraq; training and equipment for Syrians and Iraqis; intelligence sharing with allies and Muslim communities; and a political resolution to Syrian war. President Obama also pronounced what the U.S. should not do.

    “We should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in Iraq or Syria. That’s what groups like ISIL want. They know they can’t defeat us on the battlefield. ISIL fighters were part of the insurgency that we faced in Iraq. But they also know that if we occupy foreign lands, they can maintain insurgencies for years, killing thousands of our troops, draining our resources, and using our presence to draw new recruits.”

He continued,

   “We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam. That, too, is what groups like ISIL want. ISIL does not speak for Islam. They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death, and they account for a tiny fraction of more than a billion Muslims around the world -- including millions of patriotic Muslim Americans who reject their hateful ideology. Moreover, the vast majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim. If we’re to succeed in defeating terrorism we must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than push them away through suspicion and hate.”

Critics say his tone lacked outrage, specific policy changes, specific military strategies, and no timelines. Supporters say Obama’s measured tone was chosen carefully. One senior administration official, who asked for anonymity to discuss strategy, said the speech was primarily aimed at explaining the president's current plan to ordinary Americans who've been rattled by the rash of attacks in Paris, the Sinai Peninsula and, most recently, San Bernardino.

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests:

Max Boot, senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations

Hardin Lang, Senior fellow at the Center for American Progress with an expertise in the middle east, political Islam and peacekeeping

“The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters,” by Karl Rove (Simon & Schuster, 2015).
; Credit: Simon & Schuster, 2015

During the election of 1896, Republican Presidential Nominee William McKinley found a radical new way to campaign in a changing political climate.

The nation’s so-called “little guy” demanded political inclusion, and called for a government that would address the economic needs of its growing agrarian society, as well as social issues such as black voting rights.

McKinley took a surprising approach to his campaign. He focused on the needs of immigrants and diverse ethnic groups. He also advocated for black voting rights and gained the endorsements of Catholic leaders.

McKinley won the election against his Democratic opponent, William Jennings Bryan, and became the nation’s 25th president. The demand for inclusion during that election is not unfamiliar. So what can today’s presidential candidates learn from the election of 1896?

Political Analyst Karl Rove joins Larry Mantle today to discuss his new book on the subject, “The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters,” how history has represented McKinley, how he addressed the needs of the public and what our current presidential candidates can glean from his campaign.

Karl Rove will hold a lecture and book signing at 6 p.m., Jan. 7 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley and at 1 p.m., Jan 9 at the Richard Nixon Library and Museum in Yorba Linda.

Guest:

Karl Rove, political analyst and author of “The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters,” (Simon & Schuster, 2015). He tweets from @KarlRove

"Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS" by Joby Warrick; Credit: Penguin Random House

How would the man who helped foment the so-called Islamic State insurgency react to President Obama's address last night?

Now deceased, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi is profiled in a new book by Joby Warrick, the national security reporter for “The Washington Post.” In "Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS,"  Warrick chronicles Al-Zarqawi's turn from a common street criminal in Jordan to waging "jihad" in Afghanistan in the late 1980s to being named (mistakenly) by the U.S. as the link between the 9/11 hijackers and Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

Warrick joins AirTalk to discuss why Al-Zarqawi proved so influential among militants in the Middle East.

Guest:

Joby Warrick, Author, “Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS,” National Security Reporter, The Washington Post. He tweets from @JobyWarrick

Federal Bureau of Investigation assistant director David Bowdich speaks during a news conference on December 4, 2015 in San Bernardino, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

AirTalk will speak with KPCC Reporter Erika Aguilar about the FBI's news conference happening Monday afternoon.

Guest:

Erika Aguilar, KPCC reporter

People take part in a rally on April 29, 2015 at Union Square in New York.; Credit: EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images

Time Person of the Year will go to who Time’s editors think has been the most politically influential person of the year.

There are eight contenders for 2015: Abu Bakr Al-Baghdad (the leader of ISIS), Black Lives Matter (activists protesting inequality towards African Americans), Caitlyn Jenner (transgender woman, formerly known as Bruce Jenner), Travis Kalanick (CEO of Uber), Angela Merkel (German Chancellor), Vladimir Putin (President of Russia), Hassan Rouhani (President of Iran) and Donald Trump, (Republican presidential candidate and businessman).

Love them or hate them -- it’s all about political influence. What’s your vote?

Guest:

Ben Goldberger, Nation editor at TIME Magazine. He tweets from @BenGoldberger

Activists hold signs during a news conference in front of the Supreme Court.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Supreme Court today heard a case that many legal observers say could have a huge impact on the country’s democratic process.

The case, Evenwel v. Abbott, is asking the High Court to reconsider how congressional districts should be drawn. The plaintiffs want district boundaries determined by the number of eligible voters, as opposed to the number of people in a given area.

They argue that by including all people -- even those who are not qualified to vote like ex-felons, children, and immigrants -- urban districts are unfairly given a bigger say in elections.

Guests:

Michael Li, counsel for the Democracy Program for the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. His work focuses on redistricting, voting rights, and elections

Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute who wrote an amicus brief in support of the appellants in the case

Steve Sarkisian speaks at a press conference introducing him as the new USC head football coach at the John McKay Center at the University of Southern California.; Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

The University of Southern California’s former head football coach says he was wrongfully terminated from his job and he wants the school held accountable.

Former USC head coach Steve Sarkisian filed a lawsuit against USC on Monday for more than $30 million, claiming that athletic director Pat Haden fired him hastily, without giving him an opportunity to get treatment for alcoholism.

He also claims the school breached contract and invaded his privacy.

The issue stems from an incident at an annual USC booster dinner called Salute to Troy. Sarkisian had slurred his words and swore during his speech, which the lawsuit claims was a result of mixing two light beers with prescription anxiety medication. Sarkisian saw a school psychologist after the incident, but did not seek outside treatment.

When Sarkisian was fired on October 12, he was on his way to an in-patient treatment facility after leaving a team meeting because he was “upset, teary, and nearly hyperventilating,” according to the lawsuit.

How strong is Sarkisian’s claim against USC? How does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply when it comes to alcoholism or substance abuse? Do you think this case will even make it to court or will USC and Sarkisian settle?

Guests:

Ruth Colker, Heck Faust Memorial Chair in Constitutional Law in Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University and an expert on disability law and rights

Geoffrey Rapp, professor of law & values at the University of Toledo and an editor for the Sports Law Blog

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a town hall meeting during a campaign stop at Des Moines Area Community College Newton Campus.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is calling for a ban on Muslims being allowed to enter the U.S. When asked by "The Hill" whether that travel ban would apply to American Muslims, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks replied over email: “Mr. Trump says, ‘everyone.’"

Then today, on "Good Morning America," Trump said American Muslims would be able to come and go. The travel ban was quickly denounced by pretty much everyone else in the field, in either party. Experts in domestic and international law say the ban would be illegal.

"The New York Times" reports Trump's most extreme rhetoric on the campaign trail has coincided with dips in his poll numbers, which then surge again.

Is there a precedent for a candidate regularly inflaming his rivals, while connecting with supporters who cheer on the rhetoric?

Guests:

Kurtis Lee, LA Times reporter. He tweets from @KurtisALee

Mary E. Stuckey, professor of rhetoric and politics at Georgia State University and author of "Defining Americans: The Presidency and National Identity"

Douglas Brinkley, Presidential Historian & Professor of History, Rice University; Fellow, James Baker, III Institute for Public Policy

Vice Chair of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Senator Dianne Feinstein (L), D-California, speaks after attending a closed committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Sen. Dianne Feinstein is working to reintroduce a bill that would enlist the help of social media to report suspected terrorist activity.

The legislation would require social media platforms such as Facebook to alert law enforcement when suspicious postings are noticed. Social media groups killed the earlier version of the bill in August of this year.

The renewed push for the legislation comes after last week’s San Bernardino shootings in which one of the suspected shooters, Tashfeen Malik, pledged allegiance to ISIS on a Facebook post.

Guests:

Harold Feld, Senior Vice President of Public Knowledge, an organization that promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works. He tweets from @HaroldFeld

Nancy Scola, tech reporter for POLITICO

"Inventing American Religion: Polls, Surveys and the Tenuous Quest for a Nation's Faith" by Rovert Wuthnow; Credit: Oxford University Press

The reach of polling goes beyond  politics.

Today, pollsters are ever-ready to tell us what Americans think about a variety of things, including our views on religion.

In his new book, “Inventing American Religion” Princeton University sociologist Robert Wuthnow looks at how polls and surveys, despite how they claim to the contrary, ultimately fails to give us a provable understanding of our evolving relationship with faith.

Guest:

Robert Wuthnow, Author of “Inventing American Religion: Polls, Surveys and the Tenuous Quest for a Nation’s Faith” (Oxford University Press, 2015) and a professor of sociology at Princeton University