Two kindergarteners are in “extremely critical condition” after a gunman opened fire at a small, private Christian school in Northern California Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities believe that the gunman, who died by what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, might have targeted Feather River Adventist School in Oroville because it is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.
“The five and six-year-old victims from yesterday’s shooting are in critical but stable condition as they continue to receive treatment at an area hospital,” said the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) in an update the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 5. “We have positively identified the suspect and are diligently working to establish the motive.”
KCRA 3’s Carolina Estrada interviewed several children who were on the playground or heading back to class when they heard gunshots. “We were running to the gym,” said sixth grader Jocelyn with emotion. “I looked back and I saw a shadow with a gun, so I told most people to run even faster.”
“My face had a cold expression, but inside I was breaking down,” she said.
“It was heartache. You know, are you gonna see your child?” one father told Estrada.
Tragedy at Feather River Adventist School
Feather River Adventist School is a small, private Christian school in a rural area that “exists to show children Jesus, nurture their love for Him and others, teach them to think, and empower them to serve.” It has only 35 students enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade.
In a press conference the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 4, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea offered what information he could and took questions from the media. Honea said that at 1:08 p.m. that day, California Highway Patrol began receiving 911 calls from Feather River Adventist School, and a California highway patrol officer arrived on scene only two minutes later.
The officer found an adult male who was deceased, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The officer also found and secured a handgun near the man’s body. Four minutes later, deputies with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office arrived and began to give medical aid to the injured students, as well as search the campus for additional threats.
