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.
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.
Footage of the reported shooting at Feather River Adventist School, posted on December 4, 2024 | Source: YouTube.com/KCRA
Students were evacuated to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene, where they reunited with their parents.
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.
The local authorities, in collaboration with the FBI, are investigating the incident, which is the latest shooting in the country following a similar one at Vancouver Mall.
A scene from the reported shooting at the Feather River Adventist School, posted on December 4, 2024 | Source: YouTube.com/KCRA
In response to the shooting, Assemblyman James Gallagher, who represents Yuba City, released a statement expressing condolences and gratitude to first responders.
"My heart is breaking for everyone impacted by this tragedy. We will never understand why or how someone could do a thing like this. I am grateful for the bravery of the law enforcement, fire and medical personnel who responded to this attack to stop the shooter and rescue the victims. As a community, we'll all be hugging our loved ones closer today as we pray for the victims and try to make sense of something so senseless," Gallagher said.
A scene from the reported shooting at the Feather River Adventist School, posted on December 4, 2024 | Source: YouTube.com/KCRA
Feather River Adventist School, a K-8 campus with 35 students enrolled, is located roughly 10 miles south of Oroville.
According to the school's official website, it integrates spiritual, academic, and physical development into a value-based curriculum.
Their curriculum includes unique hands-on programs, such as a greenhouse project where students cultivate and harvest strawberry plants.
The website also describes the students as "respectful" and "friendly," and highlights the staff as "professionals who really know how to reach the minds and hearts of children."
The school operates under the guidance and direction of the Office of Education, North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
