Fresno Shooting Rampage Suspect, A Sacramento Native, Explains His Motives

FRESNO (CBS13) - When asked if he killed four white men because of race, Kori Ali Muhammad responded: "Um, yeah!"

Muhammad is now behind bars in for killing four white men in Fresno in two separate incidents over the past two weeks. Three men were killed in last week's racially motivated shooting rampage in downtown Fresno last Tuesday. Another man, an unarmed white security guard Motel 6 in Fresno, was killed two weeks ago.

But before the Fresno rampage, the 39-year-old Muhammad had a history of violence and served jail time right here in Sacramento County.

Court records show he was charged with more than a dozen felonies and misdemeanors between 1997 and 2004 – under different aliases. The charges range from domestic violence and drug possession to a DUI.

"A lot of pain and frustration with prejudice of being racially profiled," explained a cousin of Muhammad, as to what may have motivated Muhammad to kill.

Family members say Muhammad's attacks were part of an on-going war that he believed was going on between white and black men. Muhammad's posts on social media featured numerous examples of black pride and black nationalism.

"Someone has to fight for them. Someone has to fight for all the people who died at the hands of racist white men," said Muhammad form his jail cell. "I gave my life for the freedom of my people, the ultimate freedom of my people."

Muhammad's issues with race allegedly go back decades to his time here in Sacramento, where he went to high school and is believed to have taken classes at Cosumnes River College. He also had several probation violations before he was sent to federal prison in 2005 for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.

His family says they feel for the family who have lost loved ones, adding that they, too, are struggling to deal their loss as well.

"We are all just heart broken by this tragedy and that fact that people lost their lives," said cousin told CBS13.