A shooting at Feather River Adventist School near Palermo on Wednesday, December 4, left two students, ages 5 and 6, injured and hospitalized, while the suspected gunman died at the scene.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call about the incident around 1 p.m.
A scene from the reported shooting at the Feather River Adventist School, posted on December 4, 2024 | Source: YouTube.com/KCRA
According to KCRA 3 News, Sheriff Kory Honea said that when deputies arrived, they found a man believed to be the shooter with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea speaks to the press in Oroville, California, on February 12, 2017 | Source: Getty Images
Authorities revealed that before the gunman’s death, he had been at the school earlier for a meeting with the principal about potentially enrolling a student.
The suspect was reportedly dropped off at the school, possibly by a ride-share service, and investigators have asked the driver to contact the sheriff’s office at 530-538-7322.
“Shortly after concluding that meeting, the principal heard shots being fired, heard screams, and that’s when they determined or found that the two students had been shot,” Honea said.
Honea also stated that the shooter is not believed to have any connection to the campus or students and has not yet been identified.
Footage of the reported shooting at Feather River Adventist School, posted on December 4, 2024 | Source: YouTube.com/KCRA
Investigators are gathering more information about the suspect’s background and determining whether the meeting with the principal was legitimate.
However, Honea noted that investigators believe the suspect may have targeted the school because of its affiliation with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
A scene from the reported shooting at the Feather River Adventist School, posted on December 4, 2024 | Source: YouTube.com/KCRA
Students were evacuated to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene, where parents reunited with their children.
KCRA 3 News also reported that a sixth-grade student described seeing the gunman during the shooting, which occurred at recess.
Amid the incident, roads near the school remain blocked, and Highway 70 is closed in both directions in the area.
Local authorities are working with the FBI to investigate the incident, which is ongoing.