On 16th birthday, student gunman kills two and wounds three at California school before shooting himself
- Suspect, who had just turned 16, now in grave condition in hospital
- Shooter drew .45 calibre handgun from backpack and opened fire, saving last bullet for himself
A Southern California high school student killed two classmates and wounded three on Thursday, pulling a .45 calibre semi-automatic handgun from his backpack and emptying it in a matter of seconds as the school day began.
He saved the last bullet for himself. It was his 16th birthday.
The teenaged gunman, whose name was not provided by police, survived the self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head but was in grave condition in hospital, law enforcement officials said.
Captain Kent Wegener of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told reporters the entire incident, captured on videotape, took 16 seconds as the young man stood in one spot and fired on one student after another.
“From right where he was standing, he doesn’t chase anybody, he fires from where he is until he shoots himself,” Wegener said.