(KTXL) — Two children were injured in a shooting at a religious school in Northern California on Wednesday before the suspected gunman apparently killed himself, sheriff’s officials said.
The shooting happened around 1:00 p.m. at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists, a small private K-8 school near Palermo, roughly 60 miles north of Sacramento.
Deputies arrived to find the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot near a playground, Butte County Sheriff Corey Honea said during a Wednesday evening press conference.
The injured students, two boys aged 5 and 6, were taken to a hospital. Honea said both are still receiving treatment but did not provide any additional details about their conditions.
“This is horribly tragic,” the sheriff said. “It is hard to come up with the words. … When you’re talking about little kids like this, who can’t defend themselves, it really does tear at the heart.”
Emergency personnel state outside the Feather River Adventist School after a shooting Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Oroville, Calif. (Michael Weber/The Chico Enterprise-Record via AP) 
Police tape blocks a road outside the Feather River Adventist School after a shooting Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Oroville, Calif. (Michael Weber/The Chico Enterprise-Record via AP)
A preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect went to the school to meet with the principal about possibly enrolling a student, Honea said.
“Shortly after concluding that meeting, the principal heard shots being fired, heard screams, and that’s when they determined, or found, that the two students had been shot,” Honea said, adding that deputies are still working to verify the sequence of events.
A motive is not clear, though Honea said investigators received information that the suspect “may have targeted this school because of its affiliation with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.” However, it does not appear that the suspect had any contact with the school until Wednesday.
Investigators believe the suspect was dropped off in a gray four-door sedan that may have been a rideshare. The vehicle left immediately after, Honea said.
The sheriff’s office has not released the suspect’s name. Honea said they are trying to contact his family before disclosing his identity.
Following the shooting, students were sequestered in a gymnasium and then transported by bus to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene, where they could reunite with their parents.
The school’s website says it has been at its current location since 1965, and an update from 2022 says it had just over 30 students. The community of Palermo has a population of nearly 9,500, according to the U.S. Census.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
