2 kindergarteners in “extremely critical condition” after California school shooting, sheriff says
By Cecilio Padilla and Brandon Downs
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PALERMO, California (KMAX, KOVR) — Two kindergarten students are in “extremely critical condition” and a suspect is dead after a shooting at a school in the Northern California community of Palermo on Wednesday, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities said the incident happened around 1 p.m. at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists.
A man was found by a California Highway Patrol office with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, with the sheriff’s office confirming that the suspected shooter had died. The CHP officer found a handgun next to the suspect.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office is expected to give an update on the incident at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Two kindergarten students, a 5-year-old boy and a 6-year-old boy, were found shot, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. The students were taken to a Sacramento-area hospital and are in “extremely critical condition,” Honea said.
“I am thankful that they are still alive but they have a long road ahead of them,” Honea said.
A sixth-grade student said she helped her teacher comfort younger students as the gunman was outside the classroom.
The Butte County Office of Education offered to provide crisis response staff to work with local school administrators to help reopen the school.
The suspect has not been identified. Deputies don’t believe there is any connection between the suspect and the victims.
Honea said the suspect was dropped off at the school by an Uber driver. Investigators are interviewing the driver to learn more about what led up to the suspect being dropped off at the school.
Honea also added that investigators are looking into a “story” that the suspect called a few days ago to schedule an appointment at the school with an administrator on Wednesday. The reports indicate the suspect then showed up trying to enroll a child but deputies don’t believe a child was with him.
After the meeting with the administrator on Wednesday, gunshots were heard, Honea said.
The shooting appears to be isolated to the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists, but Honea said he provided other law enforcement agencies in California with information to be vigilant when it comes to Seventh-Day Adventist schools as it appears the school may have been targeted due to its affiliation.
The students were taken to the gymnasium until authorities could bring school buses to the scene. They were then taken to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene at 2238 Monte Vista Avenue where they were reunited with their families.
The school serves about 35 students from kindergarten to eighth grade and Honea said there was not a security officer stationed at the school as that’s not part of the everyday routine.
Due to the investigation, the CHP had shut down Highway 70 for several hours.
The FBI has responded to help the Butte County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said it and other state agencies are helping local officials.
Palermo is a town about 25 miles north of Marysville and 65 miles north of Sacramento.
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