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Community Support and Resilience: Kindergartners’ Recovery After California School Shooting

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Two young children in kindergarten were taken to hospitals after being shot by a gunman at their rural school in Northern California. The suspect, who has a history of criminal activity and mental health issues, is in custody. The children’s condition has been described as critical but stable.

Written by Soumya Karlamangla and Orlando Mayorquín

Soumya Karlamangla provided coverage from San Francisco, while Orlando Mayorquín reported from Oroville, California.

Two young students in kindergarten were walking to the bathroom during lunch on Wednesday at Feather River Adventist School. The trip was expected to be quick before they returned to class.

Shortly after, instead of their intended fate, they were shot and sustained serious injuries from a shooter.

Two boys named Roman Mendez, aged 6, and Elias Wolford, aged 5, were quickly taken from their school near Oroville, California. One was taken by ambulance and the other by helicopter, both being rushed to hospitals without any delay.

Vanessa Diaz expressed her dismay at the situation, as she has been frequenting the intensive care unit to be with her brother Roman, who is currently unconscious. She described it as a heartbreaking experience.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday that the boys were now in "critical but stable" condition, providing some hope to the rural community located about 60 miles north of Sacramento. This community has experienced a lot of sorrow in recent years. Residents were coming together to organize fundraisers, hold vigils, and raise money to support the victims and their families, just like they have done in the past in this agricultural area.

In the past, people in this area experienced the devastating Camp fire, which resulted in the loss of 85 lives and the complete destruction of Paradise, a town located approximately 20 miles away. Additionally, a year prior to the fire, residents in Oroville had to quickly evacuate amidst fears that the Oroville Dam might collapse.

During the shooting on Wednesday, it is believed by authorities that the shooter, Glenn Litton, 56, specifically chose to target the parochial school due to its connection with the Seventh-day Adventists, a Protestant Christian group. Litton later took his own life.

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