Multiple deaths reported at US school shooting

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON

At least five people were killed and several wounded Tuesday during a shooting spree in Northern California, according to authorities.

At least two students were shot and wounded at Rancho Tehama Elementary School, one of seven locations where a gunman opened fire in Tehama County, a rural town about 130 miles (209 kilometers) north of Sacramento, California.

The gunman, which carried out the attack with a semi-automatic rifle and two handguns, was shot dead by law enforcement deputies. Officials have not been able to determine a motive and have not named the suspect yet.

The Tehama County Sheriff’s Department said they were still trying to assess the number of casualties, but around 10 injured victims were taken to nearby hospitals, according to a local news report.

The FBI and other law enforcement officials are on the scene and continuing their investigation.

According to local news channel KRCR, Coy Ferreira, one of the witnesses of the incident, said he heard a firecracker-like sound while he was dropping off his daughter at the school just before 8 a.m. The school’s secretary then ran out and told children to go inside because there was an active shooter. Ferreira said he ended up in a classroom with 14 students and saw a boy being struck by bullets.