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California school shooting: Santa Clarita attack leaves two dead | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two students have been killed and three others injured by a 16-year-old who opened fire at a secondary school in California, officials say. | |
The shooting took place at the Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, minutes before the school day was due to begin. | The shooting took place at the Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, minutes before the school day was due to begin. |
The male suspect, who was also injured, is now in custody. | |
Many US schools have implemented active shooter drills in recent years, following a string of attacks. | Many US schools have implemented active shooter drills in recent years, following a string of attacks. |
What do we know about the attack? | What do we know about the attack? |
The shooting was first reported at 07:38 local time (15:38 GMT), LA county sheriff Alex Villanueva told a press conference. | |
"Within seconds we received multiple [emergency] calls," he said, adding that the first police units had arrived at the scene within two minutes. | |
Police found six people suffering from gunshot wounds and transferred them to local hospitals - and the suspect was later identified as one of those injured, Mr Villanueva said. | |
Two victims - a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy - died of their injuries, he added. | |
The other victims were two girls aged 15 and 14, and a 14-year-old boy. | |
The suspect was "identified as a 16-year-old male whose birthday was today", he added. | |
According to witnesses, the suspect took a gun out of his backpack and shot the five students, before turning the gun on himself. | |
The weapon recovered was an emptied .45 calibre semi-automatic pistol. | |
Police say they have located the suspect's home and will be searching it for evidence. | |
Saugus High School and other neighbouring schools were placed on lockdown during the shooting. The lockdown was lifted about three hours later. | |
LA undersheriff Tim Murakami wrote on Twitter that police would be interviewing all Saugus High School students before releasing them to their parents. | LA undersheriff Tim Murakami wrote on Twitter that police would be interviewing all Saugus High School students before releasing them to their parents. |
He added that they would investigate rumours that the suspect had posted threats on social media. | He added that they would investigate rumours that the suspect had posted threats on social media. |
One student told NBC she was doing her homework when people started running. | One student told NBC she was doing her homework when people started running. |
"I was really, really scared. I was shaking," she said. | "I was really, really scared. I was shaking," she said. |
Another student, named as Azalea, told CBS she and her classmates had barricaded the classroom door with chairs. | Another student, named as Azalea, told CBS she and her classmates had barricaded the classroom door with chairs. |
"It was just really scary, having everybody panic and call their parents, saying they love you." | "It was just really scary, having everybody panic and call their parents, saying they love you." |
According to the Washington Post, more than 230,000 young people in the US have experienced gun violence at school since the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado in 1999. | According to the Washington Post, more than 230,000 young people in the US have experienced gun violence at school since the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado in 1999. |
About 40% of Americans say they own a gun or live in a household with one, according to a 2017 survey, and the rate of murder or manslaughter by firearm in the country is the highest in the developed world. | About 40% of Americans say they own a gun or live in a household with one, according to a 2017 survey, and the rate of murder or manslaughter by firearm in the country is the highest in the developed world. |