14th November 2019
California school shooting: Santa Clarita attack leaves one dead
By BBC
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BBC - At least one person was killed and three were injured when a gunman wearing black clothing opened fire in the grounds of a high 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.
Police say a suspect is now in custody.
Many US schools have implemented active shooter drills in recent years, following a string of attacks.
What do we know about the attack?
The suspect is a 15-year-old boy, US media report.
LA county sheriff Alex Villanueva told CBS that the suspect had been identified as a student at the school.
Henry Mayo Hospital said that one female patient had died. Two male patients were in critical condition, with a third in good condition.
The LA county sheriff said the suspect was being treated in a local hospital.
Alex Villanueva✔@LACoSheriff
Update regarding the shooting at #SaugusHigh, suspect is in custody and being treated at a local hospital.
End of Twitter post by @LACoSheriff
Saugus High School and other neighbouring schools were placed on lockdown during the shooting. The lockdown has now been lifted.
"Law enforcement has notified us that the suspect is in custody and a weapon has been seized. We have been told there is no other suspect," officials for the local school district said on Twitter.
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.
Undersheriff Tim Murakami@LASDMurakamiQuestion was asked -Why every student? They could either be a witness,
provide important information about the shooter or a possible motive
End of Twitter post by @LASDMurakami
One student told NBC she was doing her homework when people started running.
"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.
"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.
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.
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