Gunman Elliot Rodger stabbed three people to death at his apartment before going on to shoot three more, it has emerged.

The family of a man they believe went on a shooting rampage near a university in Santa Barbara, California, called police several weeks ago after being alarmed by YouTube videos “regarding suicide and the killing of people”, a lawyer said today.

A frantic pregnant woman told an emergency service operator she had been hit and was in pain shortly before actor Ryan O’Neal was arrested for alleged assault and firing a weapon in a row with his son.