Two were killed and three injured when a student gunman opened fire at a Southern California high school, killing two students and wounding three others before he shot himself in the head and was captured in grave condition, authorities said.
The shooting occurred around 7:30 am local time on Thursday at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Shauna Orandi, 16, said she was in her Spanish class doing homework when she heard four gunshots that she initially mistook as instruments from a band class. She said a student burst into the room saying he'd seen the gunman, and her classmates were stunned into silence.
"My worst nightmare actually came true," she said later as she left a nearby park with her father. "This is it. I'm gonna die."
Still carrying a backpack laden with books, freshman Rosie across the street to a home, where a person she didn't know gave shelter to her and about 10 other students. She said the noises she heard "sounded like balloons" popping. She realized they were gunshots when she saw other students running.
"We never really thought this would happen in our school," she said. Names of the students who were killed weren't released. They were 16 and 14.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said six people were shot, including the 16-year-old student suspect. Thursday was the suspect's birthday. No details on a motive were released. No evidence ties the suspect to anyone he shot.
He is said to have left a clue on his Instagram account according to Capt. Kent Wegener of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The account, that is under his pseudonym, has the line 'Saugus have fun at school tomorrow,' under his account name.
As per authorities, the shooter was carrying a .45 calibre handgun. A video shows the suspect shooting himself in the head.
Saugus High School and other schools in the area were locked down.
Former California representative Katie Hill said, "Saugus High School was my home for my entire high school career. She added, "So many of our campaign volunteers and interns are students there, so many parents who are friends and supporters have children who they drop off there each and every day. No child should go to school and fear for their life, and yet when talking to students on the campaign trail and as their Congressperson, the message they sent was loud and clear: They weren’t worried about if a shooting would happen at their school. They were simply waiting for when."
Los Angeles County Undersheriff Tim Murakami tweeted an apology to the parents, saying investigators needed to interview the students before they could be released as anxious parents awaited reunification with their children at a park near the school.
The suspect is currently being treated at local hospitals. The three injured students too, are being treated at local hospitals.
At a local press conference, local assembly member Christy Smith said, “This is a very tragic day for our community.” Local leaders pledged that Santa Clarita would band together to recover.
