Motive in IHOP shooting remains mystery; families planning funerals
By Martha Bellisle, Reno Gazette-Journal
Eduardo Sencion was on medications for some sort of mental illness. He came from a close-knit family who lived in three houses in the Carson City area, and he went to high school in South Lake Tahoe.
But despite hours of interviews with Sencion’s family and searches of their homes, investigators have not determined why the 32-year-old took an assault weapon into a IHOP restaurant on Tuesday and fired randomly, killing five people, including himself.
“As of today, there was no precipitating factor or circumstance that we’re aware of,” Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said. “We’re looking for that precipitating event.”
“We’re not coming up with anything at this point in time.”
Sencion’s family have been cooperating with officials as they try to piece together his final days and hours before the deadly attack, Furlong said.
But they, too, remain baffled.
“They are as confused as everyone else,” Furlong said. “They, too, don’t understand.”
Sencion killed three members of the Nevada National Guard and one 67-year-old civilian during the Tuesday morning shooting rampage. Seven others were injured before Sencion fatally shot himself.
A private memorial service was scheduled for Sunday for Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney of Reno; Sgt. 1st Class Christian Riege of Carson City and Maj. Heath Kelly of Reno. The Guard said Thursday that Riege was posthumously promoted to master sergeant effective Tuesday.
Florence Donovan-Gunderson of South Lake Tahoe was also killed, while her husband, Wally, remains hospitalized.