Culver Woman Survives Santa Monica Rampage

Laura Sisk is lucky to be alive. From all news accounts she shouldn’t be here today.

When suspected Santa Monica murderer John Zawahri killed two and burned his family’s house down last Friday he hijacked Sisk and her car and drove to Santa Monica College where he killed three more people. Sisk is 42 and lives in Culver City.

According to reports Zawahri appeared in the middle of the road. He screamed at her, ordering her to get out of the car and pick up his bag. At this point Sisk told the suspect to just take her car but he decided he wanted her to drive him. He fired off more rounds and gave her directions.

At one intersection he opened fire on a Big Blue Bus.

Sisk pleaded with him not to hurt her, telling him she had children.

Upon exiting Sisk’s vehicle at the college he shot and killed 26-year-old Marcela Franco and her father, 68-year-old Carlos Navarro Franco, a groundskeeper at the college.

He then retreated into the college library where, after killing another woman, Maria Gomez, “execution style.” police officers cornered Zawahri and shot and killed him.

Students in the library who were studying for finals hid in a safe room and were unharmed by the shooter.

He was armed with multiple firearms and about 1,300 rounds of ammunition.

Zawahri attended SMC in 2010.

Culver City Police and Fire Department along with California Highway Patrol personnel were dispatched to Santa Monica to assist.