Shooting kills teens
2 die at California high school; suspect among 4 people hurt
“The shocking incident at a high school in Santa Clarita is tragic and heartbreaking.” Eric Garcetti Mayor of Los Angeles
Two people were killed and four others injured in a shooting rampage Thursday at a high school in Santa Clarita, California, authorities in Los Angeles County said.
The suspect, a male student at Saugus High School, was among the injured; he was taken into custody and was being treated at a hospital, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. Villanueva said those who died were a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.
The shooting took place just before 8 a.m. Video from the scene showed law enforcement officials swarming the area around the school and victims being wheeled on gurneys from the scene to waiting ambulances.
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Two people were killed and four others were injured in a shooting rampage Thursday at a high school, authorities in Los Angeles County said.
The suspect, a male student at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, was among the injured; he was in custody during treatment at a hospital, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. He said those who died were a 16year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.
The shooting took place shortly before 8 a.m. at the 2,500-student school about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Video from the scene showed law enforcement officials swarming the area around the school and multiple victims being wheeled on gurneys from the scene to waiting ambulances.
Villanueva said six people were shot with a semi-automatic weapon, including the 16-year-old suspect, an Asian male. Authorities said he shot himself in the head but was in grave condition. Thursday was his birthday.
Capt. Kent Wegener of the sheriff ’s department said there were no more bullets in the weapon when the suspect stopped shooting. He added that investigators were checking reports of an online threat before the attack.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted support for the victims, their loved ones and first responders working to “bring this horror to an end.”
“The shocking incident at a high school in Santa Clarita is tragic and heartbreaking,” he said.
Troy Grant, 15, a 10th-grader at the school, said he heard what sounded like balloons popping.
“Then I heard it multiple times and saw a herd of students running, so I then knew it was a shooting,” Grant wrote to USA TODAY on Facebook. “I don’t know what to feel right now, just hoping everyone’s safe and OK.”
Students were being loaded onto school and city buses to take them a half-mile to where they could be reunited with parents.
Charlotte Jinkins, 36, said she had just dropped off her son Joseph, a 14year-old freshman, when she saw students running toward a nearby church.
“I heard a group of kids saying, ‘They are shooting!’ ” as sheriff’s deputies began to arrive. “It all happened so quick.”
Her son was safe in a classroom; they were reunited a short time later.
After the shooting, lines of students could be seen walking away from the school under police direction, and a reunion area with parents was set up at a nearby park. The public was urged to stay away from the area.
“If you live in neighborhoods anywhere near Saugus High, PLEASE LOCK DOORS and stay inside,” the sheriff ’s office tweeted. “If you see suspect, male dark clothing, in backyards, etc. CALL 911”