Two young boys, just 5 and 6 years old, were seriously hurt in a tragic shooting at Feather River Adventist School near Oroville, Northern California, on Wednesday. Authorities say the gunman, who entered the small Christian school and opened fire, later died from what they believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The horrifying incident unfolded shortly after 1 p.m., according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. First responders rushed the injured boys to a hospital, where they were in extremely critical condition as of Wednesday evening.
The day started like any other at the school, which has just 35 students and teaches children from kindergarten to 8th grade. Earlier that day, the suspected shooter met with a school administrator to discuss enrolling a child. Sheriff Honea described the meeting as polite and uneventful, giving no hint of the violence to come. However, moments later, gunfire erupted.
A California Highway Patrol officer was the first to arrive after frantic 911 calls reported an active shooter. At the scene, the officer found the two injured boys and the body of the gunman, along with a handgun nearby.
While the exact motives remain unclear, Sheriff Honea suggested that the shooter may have targeted the school because of its ties to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “Out of caution, we alerted law enforcement agencies across California, asking them to keep a close watch on schools connected to this religious organization,” Honea said.
The shooter’s identity hasn’t been made public yet, but authorities shared that he was dropped off at the school by an Uber driver. Police have interviewed the driver as part of their efforts to piece together the events leading up to the attack. Investigators, including the FBI, are also digging into the suspect’s background to understand what drove him to commit such a heinous act.
For now, the small community of Oroville, located about 65 miles north of Sacramento, is reeling from the shocking violence. Families are holding their children close, and the focus remains on the recovery of the two young boys fighting for their lives.
