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Two young children in kindergarten were shot at their rural school in Northern California by a gunman. They were quickly taken to hospitals and are now in a ‘critical but stable’ condition. The suspect responsible for the shooting has a record of criminal activity and mental illness, according to authorities.
Authored by Soumya Karlamangla and Orlando Mayorquín
Soumya Karlamangla covered the news from San Francisco, while Orlando Mayorquín reported from Oroville, California.
Two young children in kindergarten were walking to the bathroom during lunchtime on Wednesday at Feather River Adventist School. It was meant to be a quick trip before returning to class.
Shortly after that, they were shot and severely injured by a shooter instead.
Two young boys named Roman Mendez, age 6, and Elias Wolford, age 5, were quickly taken from their school near Oroville, California. One was transported by ambulance and the other by helicopter to hospitals urgently.
Vanessa Diaz expressed her distress over her brother Roman’s condition in the intensive care unit, where he is still unconscious. She described the situation as heartbreaking.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday that the boys’ condition had improved to "critical but stable", providing hope to the rural community located 60 miles north of Sacramento. This community has experienced a lot of sadness in recent years. Residents are coming together to organize fundraisers, hold vigils, and raise money to support the victims and their families, just like they have in the past in this agricultural area.
Residents in this area experienced a devastating wildfire called the Camp fire six years ago, resulting in the loss of 85 lives and the destruction of the town of Paradise, located approximately 20 miles away. Additionally, a year prior to the fire, residents in Oroville were forced to evacuate their homes in fear of the Oroville Dam potentially bursting.
During the shooting on Wednesday, authorities suspect that the shooter, identified as Glenn Litton, 56, specifically chose to target the parochial school because it was associated with the Seventh-day Adventists, a Protestant Christian group. Litton later took his own life.
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