Last Updated Nov 14, 2017 3:48 PM EST
RANCHO TEHAMA, Calif. — At least five people are dead, including a suspected shooter, and students are among the injured after shootings at several scenes in rural northern California including an elementary school, according to a Tehama County sheriff’s official.
Three local hospitals have confirmed to CBS News they have received at least 10 patients from the incident. It is not clear if patients were brought to other hospitals. Jeanine Quist, an administrative assistant with the Corning Union Elementary School District, says no one was killed at the Rancho Tehama Elementary School Monday morning but a “number” of students were shot and wounded.
Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston, who according to CBS affiliate KHSL addressed reporters near one of the scenes, said deputies were first alerted to a shooting in Rancho Tehama Reserve at around 8 a.m.
Rancho Tehama Elementary School
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“That evolved to multiple victims and multiple shots at the school,” Johnston said, adding that he’s been told the suspected shooter was shot and killed by law enforcement.
Johnston says the gunman had a semi-automatic rifle and two handguns and was randomly picking targets.
About 100 law enforcement personnel are currently working at least seven crime scenes in the area, he said.
“I know that we have Medivaced a number of students,” Johnston said, referring to the use of helicopters for the emergency transport of victims to hospitals. Johnston said the school had been cleared by 10 a.m. but he did not have any information about the victims there.
All other students have been brought to a safe location, he said.
“It’s a really sad day for us in Tehama County, really,” Johnston said, choking up as he finished addressing reporters.
Five people, at least three of whom are children, were transported to Enloe Medical Center, in Chico, California. It’s not clear whether all three children were students at the elementary school.
St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff, California received two victims. One is continuing to receive treatment at the hospital and the other was stabilized and transferred to another facility, according to Amanda Harter, the communications manager for Dignity Health North State. The company also operates Mercy Medical Center, which received three patients, one who was stabilized and transferred, and two others who are still undergoing treatment. It is not clear if any of the patients at St. Elizabeth or Mercy are children.
Brian Flint told KHSL that his roommate is among the victims and that his neighbor was the gunman. He said his neighbor, whom he knows only as Kevin, also stole his truck.
He said he and his roommate told authorities that their neighbor was acting “crazy” and threatening them.
Flint said the neighbor had been shooting “hundreds of rounds” from large magazines.
The community is located about 130 miles north of Sacramento. The FBI confirmed to CBS News they are sending agents from Sacramento, Redding, and Chico to assist with the investigation.
California Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement about the shootings late Tuesday morning.
“Anne and I are saddened to hear about today’s violence in Tehama County, which shockingly involved schoolchildren,” Brown said. “We offer our condolences to the families who lost loved ones and unite with all Californians in grief.”
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