A gunman shot two students, ages 5 and 6, at a small parochial school in rural California on Wednesday afternoon and then died from what the authorities believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a spokesman for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said.
The authorities responded to the school, Feather River Adventist, in Oroville, Calif., about 60 miles north of Sacramento, immediately after receiving 911 calls at 1:09 p.m., said Megan McMann, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.
Preliminary reports suggest that the gunman “came on to campus to meet with the principal to discuss the possibility of enrolling a student,” Kory L. Honea, the sheriff of Butte County, said at a news conference Wednesday evening. Shortly after the meeting ended, the principal heard shots being fired and screams, Sheriff Honea said.
When the authorities arrived, the gunman, an adult male, was “down” with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the sheriff added.
No other information about the gunman’s identity was available. Sheriff Honea said that it did not appear that the gunman had a connection to the school, but added that it was early in the investigation. The motive for the shooting was unclear.
One of the students who was shot was flown by helicopter to a hospital, while the other was taken via ground transportation, she said. They were being treated on Wednesday night. Their identities and conditions were not immediately available. Ms. McMann said she did not think anybody else had been injured.
Other students at the school, which teaches roughly 35 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, were sequestered in the school’s gymnasium after the authorities arrived and were later taken to a church about 10 miles north of the school. Their parents were asked to pick them up at the church.
The F.B.I. is assisting with the investigation.
Peyton Sherwood, who works at Duke Sherwood Contracting, which has an office near the school, said that he had seen several helicopters circling above the school. At least one helicopter landed, he said, adding that there had been a lot of cars and sheriff’s office personnel in front of the school.
Elizabeth Lepe Arredondo, a former teacher at the school whose children were also students, described Feather River as a beautiful school in “out in the open country,” with a strong sense of community and values that is deeply rooted in the teachings of Seventh-day Adventist Church, which operates the school.
“It was a very small school, very close knit, very beautiful school,” Ms. Lepe Arredondo said. Classes were small, she said, which “made it great for teaching and giving children” the attention they need.
Sports are also an important part of the culture, she said. Every Saturday during her time teaching there, Ms. Lepe Arredondo would open the gym doors for local families to come play basketball, volleyball and pingpong. The school still holds those events, Ms. Lepe Arredondo.
Ms. Lepe Arredondo said her job at Feather River was the best job she’s ever had.
“That was one of the jobs that really left a profound impression on me,” she said of her time at the school.
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