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UPDATE: 2 dead in California school attack, gunman shoots self

Published:Thursday | November 14, 2019 | 10:37 AM
People are lead out of Saugus High School after reports of a shooting on Thursday, November 14, 2019, in Santa Clarita, California. (KTTV-TV via AP)

SANTA CLARITA, California (AP) — A student pulled a gun from his backpack and opened fire at a Southern California high school Thursday, killing two students and wounding three others before shooting himself in the head on his 16th birthday, authorities said.

The gunfire began around 7:30 a.m. at Saugus High School in suburban Santa Clarita, where Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responding to a torrent of 911 calls found all six students in a quad area.

Security video showed the last thing the attacker did was shoot himself with the final bullet in the .45-caliber handgun, sheriff’s homicide Capt. Kent Wegener said.

A 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy died.

Two girls, ages 14 and 15, and a 14-year-old boy were hospitalised, officials said.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the shooter was a student at the school but did not identify him.

A search warrant was being obtained for his home.

“At this point in time, we have no indication of motivation or ideology,” said Paul Delacourt, the agent in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. Santa Clarita is a city of more than 200,000 about 30 miles northwest of downtown LA.

The sound of gunfire sent some students running while others and staff followed recently practiced security procedures.

Kyra Stapp, 17, was watching a documentary in class when she heard two gunshots.

Panicked students ran in and reported the shooting.

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