2 students killed in Cali
People are lead out of Saugus High School after reports of a shooting on Thursday in Santa Clarita, Calif. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said on Twitter that deputies are responding to the high school about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The sheriff’s office says a male suspect in black clothing was seen at the school. (KTTV-TV via AP)
A 16-year-old student dressed in black opened fire at Saugus High School in Los Angeles County Thursday, killing two students and injuring three others before turning the gun on himself.
His empty 45-caliber semiautomatic pistol was recovered at the scene.AdvertisementVideo Player is loading.
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Officials identified the slain students as a 14-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl and said the shooter was in “grave condition” after he was identified as the sixth student found wounded in the quad.
The rampage unfolded at 7:38 a.m. California time, touching off a frantic lockdown and desperate manhunt that ended about two hours later when officials realized the suspect was one of injured and no longer a threat.
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Surveillance video allegedly shows the suspect pulling the high-powered gun from his backpack, firing at his fellow students and then shooting himself in the head, Capt. Kent Wegener said at a press conference.[More U.S. News] Record crowds expected to fly during Thanksgiving holiday period, TSA warns »
Officials said they were aware of alleged social media posts related to the shooting but declined to confirm any profiles associated with the shooter.
“Saugus have fun at school tomorrow,” the suspect reportedly said Wednesday in ominous Instagram post under the handle @nibba_leader.
A fellow student’s dad confirmed the authenticity of the post to KNX1070, saying his child also was in a group chat with the suspect.[More U.S. News] Husband of missing Missouri woman Jennifer Rothwell arrested as case is reclassified a homicide »
Freshman Rosie Rodriguez told the Associated Press the gunfire “sounded like balloons” popping, so it wasn’t until she saw other students running that she realized what was happening.
Still carrying her heavy backpack, she ran across the street to a home, where a person she didn’t know gave shelter to about a dozen students.
“I just heard a lot of kids crying. We were scared,” Rodriguez said.[More U.S. News] Family ordered to take down Christmas decorations, including snowman, until closer to holiday »
On a normal day, she said, Saugus High School felt very safe.
“We never really thought this would happen in our school,” she said.
Officials said the senseless bloodshed coincided with the shooter’s birthday. They said the suspect’s mother and girlfriend were speaking with authorities and that it was too soon to comment on a possible motive.[More U.S. News] Kristen Stewart on playing queer character in ‘Charlie’s Angels:’ no need to show ‘some girl that she falls in love with’ »
“This is a tough day for Santa Clarita,” Sheriff’s Department Capt. Robert Lewis said. “We need to say no more. This is a tragic event that happens too frequently.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva also expressed his grief and exasperation at the press conference.
“With heavy heart we’re going to move forward with the investigation, figure out what went wrong. I hate to have Saugus be added to the names of Columbine, Parkland, Sandy Hook. But it’s a reality that affects us all throughout the nation, something we’re going to have to deal with,” Villanueva said.[re U.S. News] A man who went in for a circumcision and came out with a vase
“As Capt. Lewis said, we gotta figure out what we’re doing wrong and how can we stop this from happening in the future,” he said.
Henry Mayo Hospital confirmed the first fatality Thursday morning in a Twitter post that it later deleted. The post said the hospital also received two more male patients in critical condition and a third male patient in good condition.
“This is an active shooter situation. The suspect described to be a male Asian, black clothing is outstanding,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a Twitter post at 8:17 a.m.[More U.S. News] Missouri woman sought by cops after allegedly storing husband’s body in freezer of bedroom for nearly a year »
“If you live in neighborhoods anywhere near Saugus High, PLEASE LOCK DOORS and stay inside. If you see suspect, male dark clothing, in backyards, etc. CALL 911,” another tweet said.
A army of heavily armed deputies descended on the scene and fanned out to multiple nearby locations.
Sheriff Villanueva confirmed the suspect was in custody by 9:40 a.m. local time.[More U.S. News] El Paso Walmart hired off-duty officers ahead of store reopening 3 months after massacre »
The alleged shooter was being treated at a local hospital, he tweeted.
Update regarding the shooting at #SaugusHigh, suspect is in custody and being treated at a local hospital.— Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) November 14, 2019
“Seven people have been reported injured but we don’t have any information on what the injuries are,” a source with the Los Angeles County Fire Department told the Daily News during the early chaos at 8:15 a.m.
It wasn’t immediately clear if some minor injuries at the scene were included in the initial tally.
Fire officials tweeted at 9:18 a.m. that a total of six patients were transported for medical treatment.
#SaugusHighShooting: We have received 2 patients in critical condition, 3 en route. We will provide updates as they become available.— Henry Mayo Hospital (@HenryMayoHosp) November 14, 2019
Deputies first responded to the school on Centurion Way in Santa Clarita to investigate the initial report of shots fired around 7:30 a.m. and advised the public to avoid the area.
Paramedics also responded after receiving a call of a gunshot wound in the abdomen shortly before 7:40 a.m., fire officials said.
This is an active shooter situation. The suspect described to be a male Asian, black clothing is outstanding.— SCV Sheriff (@SCVSHERIFF) November 14, 2019
One person could be seen leaving a school building on a stretcher, according to aerial video from KTLA Sky5.
