Famous Persian Actress Thanks, LAPD ... For NOT Profiling Me

IT'S THE RIGHT MOVE
TMZ.com

Oscar nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo is applauding the LAPD for treading lightly with Muslims, but knows the San Bernardino massacre is making their jobs much harder.

Shohreh -- best known for her roles in "24" and the movie, "House of Sand and Fog" -- is an Iranian born celebrity who has a strong opinion about racial profiling.

We talked to her about the story TMZ broke -- that LAPD brass wants officers to avoid approaching Middle Easterners unless they're doing something to "arouse real suspicion."

But the Emmy winner's real issue is with Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik -- she explained how their act screwed up thousands upon thousands of lives.

Side note: Shoreh was so good in 'Sand and Fog.'

San Bernardino Shooter Moments After Final Gun Battle

TMZ has obtained a photo of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook on the street ... after the fatal shoot out with police, and it's obvious officers were taking no chances.

As you can see in the photo -- taken very shortly after cops took him out -- Farook was lying dead, but hands still cuffed behind his back. It's also interesting he appears to be wearing the same black clothing witnesses said he and Tashfeen Malik were wearing as they massacred 14, and injured 17 others.

He also appears to still have a holster strapped to his right leg, and a piece of body armor on his back.

The firefight with cops took place hours after he shot up the Inland Regional Center -- but Farook was still dressed and ready to kill.

L.A. On High Alert Cops Warned ... Don't Mess With Middle Easterners

LAPD cops have been told not to single out Muslims in their hunt for terrorists, and as one cop right in the middle of it tells TMZ, "It's a huge problem for us."

Our LAPD sources say the brass doesn't want beat cops approaching people from the Middle East unless they're doing something "that arouses real suspicion." One source says, "They [the brass] don't want us talking to them." That source says he feels like the bosses have tied their hands, saying, "It's a huge concern."

We're also told patrol officers have been told to watch for people taking photos of objects that would arouse suspicion ... for example, electrical units on buildings. Here's the problem -- we're told cops have approached tourists and others who take photos, and when they ask about the pictures, the cops are being met with hostility.

As for possible targets, LAPD officers have been told to pay special attention to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the Hollywood Reservoir. Police say there are no credible threats against these targets but they are high profile and concerning to cops.

Woman Misidentified As Shooter Blasted Online With Anti-Islam Hate

A woman who shares a name with San Bernardino shooter Tashfeen Malik says she's getting slammed with anti-Islam threats -- and that's AFTER she made it clear to all ... she's not a terrorist.

Malik tells TMZ after the shooters were identified Wednesday night, she was blasted on Twitter with hateful messages like "glad ur dead u whore."

She tried to quickly clear up the confusion and tweeted, "unfortunately the woman in the San Bernardino shooting has the same name as me ... I would appreciate if you all would stop with the hate mail."

That only made matters worse -- Malik says people angrily responded with anti-Islam sentiments ... "all Muslims are terrorists" and "you're still a terrorist because you're Muslim."

She stands firm, saying she won't change her Twitter name or privacy settings.

Syed Farook Driver's License Photo

The California DMV has just released the driver's license photo of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.

The license was issued in 2013, although it's unclear if the photo was taken then or at an earlier date.

Notice his eyes ... his lids are hanging over half his eyeballs.

San Bernardino Shooting Parents Divorced This Year ... Dad Spent Time In Pakistan

12:45 PM PT -- We've learned the father was in Pakistan for several years -- neighbors tell us possibly as long as 5 or 6 -- before he moved back to the U.S.

San Bernardino police say they've learned Syed, the shooter, also went to Pakistan sometime before 2014. They also say his wife Tashfeen Malik, the other shooter, originally entered the U.S. on a visa from Pakistan.

The parents of Syed Farook divorced in February, after years of domestic strife ... TMZ has learned.

Rafia Farook filed for legal separation as far back as 2008, but apparently the elder Syed -- father of the shooter -- came back to the home. She eventually filed for divorce and it was granted in February.

As we reported, Rafia -- the shooter's mom -- filed for 3 separate restraining orders against her husband, claiming he was "mentally sick" and a physically abusive drunk. According to neighbors, after Rafia got a restraining order in 2008, the elder Syed moved to Pakistan for an unknown period of time and then returned to the U.S. and moved back into the family home.

San Bernardino Shooter Judge Gave Him Parental-Type Control ... Over Sibling

San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook got a judge's seal of approval when it came to taking care of his younger sister ... TMZ has learned.

As we reported, Farook's mother, Rafia, got a restraining order against her husband in 2006, claiming he was a violent drunk and committed domestic violence.

A judge restricted the husband's visitation of his children to monitored visits, and when it came to picking the monitor, the judge chose shooter Syed Farook, who was then 19.

BTW ... in legal docs obtained by TMZ, the mother specifically asked the judge to restrict her husband's ability to take their kids to Pakistan.

San Bernardino Shooter Large Package Delivered to Farook Family's Former Home

A large package was delivered to the mother of the San Bernardino shooter a month ago, and it has been sitting on the front porch ever since.

This is the box that was delivered to the former home of Syed Farook's mother Rafia. It was delivered on November 5th ... several months after Rafia sold the house.

The new owner tells TMZ, they just left the package on the porch, thinking someone might come and pick it up.

The new owner says he never met the Farook family and had no idea there was a connection to the shootings.

San Bernardino Shooter Family Plagued By Violence

Turns out the family of Syed Farook, the San Bernardino shooter, was in constant turmoil ... we've learned his mom repeatedly accused his dad of brutally beating her.

Syed's mother, Rafia, went to court at least 3 times to get restraining orders against her husband, also named Syed.

TMZ broke the story, Rafia went to court in July 2008, claiming her husband was "mentally sick" and abusive toward her and her kids, including the shooter.

We've now learned as early as 2006, when Syed was 19, Rafia went to court claiming the elder Syed physically brutalized her. She says in legal docs, obtained by TMZ, "He was drunk first he harassed me then he dropped the TV on me and outside of the house he pushed me toward the car. Again inside the house he tried to hit me. My daughter came in between to save me."

Rafia recalled in the docs a previous incident in April 2006, in which she says, "He is always mad. Drinking all day. Screaming on me, shouting at my kids for no reason. That day he tried to hit me. I do not know exactly why he was mad." She ends with, "My son came in between to save me."

There was another TRO in February 2008, prompted by this ... "Syed had a fight with my son and me and he got drunk. I called at 6 AM to his brother in Chicago and I said he's threatening to kill himself."

In the February 2008 docs, Rafia says, a month before, "He was drunk and I was outside of my house and he pushed me towards my car and then choked me."

In both cases, the TRO's were granted. The elder Syed was ordered to move out of the family house and not possess firearms. For some reason, the July 2008 TRO was denied.

San Bernardino Shooter Mother Claims His Dad Was 'Mentally Sick'

The man who presumably shot up the San Bernardino health facility grew up in a violent household with a mentally ill father ... so claimed his mother.

Syed Farook's mother, Rafia, filed legal docs in July 2008, when the shooter was 21. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Rafia says her husband was "throwing stuff, screaming, alcoholic, mentally sick and not on prescribed medication." The documents say Rafia claimed domestic violence with children.

Rafia filed for a temporary restraining order. She sought to protect her, Syed and 2 other children. The TRO was denied and a hearing was set. It appears the petition for the TRO was part of a proceeding for legal separation.

Rafia also wanted to restrict her husband from traveling with their kids to Pakistan.

In the docs, Rafia says her husband, also named Syed, was mentally abusive to her and her children.

San Bernardino Mass Shooting Hollywood Tourist Spots Now On Alert

Hollywood visitors trying to see celebrities Thursday will also see a lot more police officers -- as in beefed up security in the wake of the San Bernardino mass shooting.

The most popular tourist stops -- places like the TCL Chinese Theater, the Dolby Theater (home of the Oscars) and the whole Hollywood and Highland complex -- are getting a stronger police presence ... according to our law enforcement sources.

We're told hot spots along Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards will see an increased visual presence of officers. There's been no specific threat, but officers are on heightened alert ... just in case.

And there's this ... Amy Poehler happens to be getting a star on the Walk of Fame today. Those events generally draw large crowds -- and today it will also draw more cops.

San Bernardino Shooter Loved Target Practice ... Dating Profile Reveals

San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook apparently bragged about his love of shooting ... on his dating profile.

The profile, allegedly belonging to Farook, is on a dating site called iMilap.com -- and it says the then 22-year-old was living at home with his parents. In the "about me" section -- he lists things he enjoys like travel, religious books, and "just hang out in back yard doing target practice with younger sister and friends."

He also describes his family values and "Eastern and Western Mix."

Also weird, for a dating site we think ... Syed's parents actually posted the profile for him.

San Bernardino Massacre Shooting Triggered by Holiday Party Dispute

One of the gunmen who shot up the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino was at a holiday party at the facility earlier Wednesday ... got into a dispute, then came back with his "buddies" and opened fire ... this according to a well-placed law enforcement source.

An LAPD source who has been well-briefed tells us, one of the gunman showed up for some sort of Christmas party for employees of the San Bernardino County Health Dept. The party was being held in one of the conference rooms that was rented out for the event ... and when the gunman returned, he went to same room and shot it up.

We do not know the nature of the dispute or why the gunman was at the party, but we're told the man was either kicked out or left voluntarily ... then came back with his friends.

San Bernardino Mass Shooting Police Close in on Suspects

Police have closed in on the suspects in the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California where 14 people were killed.

San Bernardino cops chased the black SUV the suspects used to escape the building where they opened fire. We know police exchanged fire with them during the chase, and 2 suspects -- a man and a woman -- were killed. They were armed with assault rifles and handguns. All the officers involved in the chase are okay.

Police believe there is a 3rd suspect, possibly at large. Another man was arrested near where the chase ended, but it's unclear if he was involved in the shooting.

In addition to the 14 dead, 17 were injured at the Inland Regional Center -- a center for developmentally disabled people.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!