Seattle shooting: Shooter Ian Lee Stawicki's father apologizes

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David Gordon, Tim Torres, Karen Eides and Onkarmino Sharma (L to R) kneel in front of a makeshift memorial outside Cafe Racer May 31, 2012 in Seattle, Washington. The gunman, reportedly identified as Ian Lee Stawicki allegedly shot and killed four at cafe in another part of town. He then killed himself as police approached. (Stephen Brashear/AFP/Getty Images)

Seattle shooting suspect Ian Lee Stawicki's father apologized to the families of the victims on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. Stawicki allegedly opened fire in a Seattle cafe before turning the gun on himself on Wednesday.

Walter Stawicki, the 40-year-old shooter's father, said, "The first thing I can say, and it doesn't go very far at this point, is I'm so sorry," according to the AP. "It sounds so trite, that I feel their grief ... I just hope they understand he wasn't a monster out to kill people."

Though authorities have not publicly named the gunman, The Seattle Times identified him as Stawicki, citing police sources.

The shooter opened fire around 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Cafe Racer, killing four patrons, before shooting another woman in a carjacking. Stawicki reportedly shot himself as police closed in, said the AP.

More on GlobalPost: Ian Lee Stawicki, Seattle shooter, dead in hospital

Stawicki shot himself about a mile to a mile and a half from where he left the stolen car, said the police.

Ian's brother, Andrew Stawicki, reportedly said his girlfriend said the shooter was acting "kind of crazy" on Wednesday morning, and she would not let him have a car, according to ABC News.

The victims included Joe "Vito" Albanese, 52, Drew Keriakedes, 45, Donald Largen, 57, Kimberly Layfield, 38, at the cafe and Gloria Leonidas in a parking lot where Stawicki stole her SUV. Leonard Meuse, a chef at the cafe, was shot in the jaw and armpit but was expected to recover, according to The Seattle Times.

More on GlobalPost: Seattle café shooting: gunman kills 3, wounds 2, shoots himself

Stawicki's father said, "When you knew him and he liked you, he was the best friend you could have. He was an old-fashioned gentleman," according to the AP. "But when he was having bad days, he scared people."

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120531/seattle-shooting-ian-lee-stawickis-father-apolog