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Community Support and Resilience: Kindergartners ‘Critical but Stable’ After California School Shooting

In Citizen
January 19, 2025

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Two young children in kindergarten are in stable condition after being shot by a gunman at their rural school in Northern California. The suspect, who has a criminal history and mental health issues, is now in custody.

Written by Soumya Karlamangla and Orlando Mayorquín

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

Two young children in kindergarten were walking to the bathroom during their lunch break on Wednesday at the Feather River Adventist School. This was just a quick trip before they were supposed to return to their classroom.

Shortly after that, they were shot and severely injured by a shooter instead.

Two young boys named Roman Mendez, who is 6 years old, and Elias Wolford, who is 5 years old, were quickly taken from their school in Oroville, California. Roman was transported by ambulance and Elias by helicopter to hospitals without delay.

Vanessa Diaz expressed her distress over the situation, stating that it is devastating to see her brother Roman unconscious in the intensive care unit.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday that the boys are 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 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 done in the past in this agricultural area.

Residents in this area experienced the devastating Camp fire six years ago, resulting in the loss of 85 lives and the destruction of the town of Paradise, located around 20 miles away. Additionally, a year before this fire, residents in Oroville were forced to quickly evacuate their homes due to the fear of the Oroville Dam potentially overflowing.

During the shooting incident on Wednesday, officials suspect that the shooter, Glenn Litton, 56, specifically chose to target the parochial school due to its connection to the Seventh-day Adventists, a Protestant Christian group. Litton ultimately took his own life after the attack.

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