A lone gunman burst into a beauty salon in Seal Beach, Calif., Wednesday and killed eight people and gravely injured another, authorities said.

The slaughter at the Salon Meritage was the worst mass shooting in Orange County history.

Police Sgt. Steve Bowles said the killer drove off in a truck, but officers stopped him about a half-mile away and he surrendered without incident. The suspect had multiple weapons with him, he added.

Neither the suspect's name nor the names of the victims are being released at this time. But friends of the salon owner told CBS that the gunman was the ex-husband of a stylist who worked there.

There may be something to the motive as to a relationship with somebody in the salon, that is our assumption, Bowles told CBS without explaining further.

Co-workers and customers who have spoken to various media say the gunman's motive may have been a child custody battle with his ex-wife.

We feel very confident we have the single and only suspect, Bowles told The Seattle Times. There may be something involved with someone in the salon.

Those close by the salon said gunshots rang out shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kimberly Criswell, the owner of another salon close to the scene of the multiple shooting, told CBS she and others in her salon heard the gunshots and that her receptionist saw a man through a window as he was shot in a parking lot.

There was like a pop, pop and my receptionist screamed, 'He just shot that man.' and we all ran into the bathroom and locked the door,' Criswell said.

Reports are that shortly after the suspected shooter was arrested, police went to a house on Melody Lane in nearby Huntington Beach, left with two women in a white car and then roped off the house with crime scene tape. The house is registered to Scott Dekraai, and one of the licensed cosmetologists at the salon address was Michelle Dekraai, according to CBS.

California