Former Cape May County Man Among Victims Named In San Bernardino Shooting
CAPE MAY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Vigils were being held on Thursday night, to honor the victims of the San Bernardino shooting. Hundreds turned out at San Bernardino's San Manuel Stadium.
The fourteen people killed ranged in age from 26 to 60. One of them had ties to New Jersey.
Nicholas Thalasinos, 52, worked for the Cape May County Health Department for 33 years before retiring.
There were eight men and six women killed in the attack, they are: Robert Adams, 40, of Yucaipa, Isaac Amanios, 60, of Fontana, Bennetta Bet-Badal, 46, of Rialto, Harry Bowman, 46, of Upland, Sierra Clayborn, 27, of Moreno Valley, Juan Espinoza, 50, of Highland, Aurora Godoy, 26, of San Jacinto, Shannon Johnson, 45, of Los Angeles, Larry Kaufman, 42, of Rialto, Damian Meins, 58, of Riverside, Tin Nguyen, 31, of Santa Ana, Yvette Velasco, 27, of Fontana, and Michael Wetzel, 37, of Lake Arrowhead.
Several of those killed knew and worked with the shooter Syed Farook.
Many of the victims had raised money for the shooter and his wife when they had a baby 6 months ago.
One of the victim's friends said one of the men killed got into a heated argument about religion with Farook two weeks before the attack.
Friends said Thalasinos was a Messianic Jew, a movement that combines Christianity with Judaism, and was passionate about Israeli causes.
As CBS2's Jessica Schneider reported, he occasionally posted views that were critical of Islam on social media.
Thalasinos and Farook both worked as restaurant inspectors. As TV 10/55 reported, Thalasinos helped train Farook. The two men regularly discussed politics and religion.
"If he tried to start something, my husband is very outspoken and he would have been right in the middle of it, and he would have been standing up for what he believes," Jennifer Thalasinos, Nicholas' wife said.
Despite their differences Jennifer could never imagine Farook becoming violent.
"As far as I know he got along with everybody. That's what's so shocking is that he would've turned around and done this. I feel like whatever went on in his life, obviously he became radicalized," she said.
Family members have been releasing photos of those killed.
Velasco's family remembered a vibrant young woman.
"Yvette was an intelligent, motivated, and beautiful young woman, who was full of life, and loved by all who knew her," George Velasco said.
There were also 21 wounded in the attack.
Julie Swann-Paez had arrived at the party to be honored as Employee of the Year. She was shot at least twice.
The mother of Jennifer Stevens, 22, said her daughter described the scene as surreal.
"She said, 'I know I saw people die,'" Lisa Stevens recalled.
Many of the victims had children -- one was engaged to be married. All left behind devestated and grieving families.
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