One person is dead and at least three others are injured, two of them critically, after a shooting at a Southern California high school Thursday morning, officials said.
About an hour and a half after the shooting was reported at about 8 a.m. before classes started at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, authorities said they had located the suspect who was no longer a threat.
The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department earlier said the suspect was an Asian male wearing black clothing who was last seen at the high school.
The Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital tweeted it had received four patients. One female was dead, two males were in critical condition, and another male was in good condition, the tweet said.
“This is an active shooter situation,” a tweet from the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s office said before the suspect was located. “If you live in neighborhoods anywhere near Saugus High, PLEASE LOCK DOORS and stay inside. If you see suspect, male dark clothing, in backyards, etc. CALL 911.”
“Parents, deputies are on scene everywhere protecting your children,” a tweet from the sheriff’s office said.
The Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s office tweeted just before 8 a.m. local time to avoid the area of Saugus High School, which is in the county of Los Angeles, about 40 miles north of the city of Los Angeles. Minutes later, the office said people were reporting that shots had been fired at the school.
Student Sharon Orelana Cordova told NBC Los Angeles that she was doing homework when she saw people running so she started running too. “When I got out, I saw this person lying down on the ground, and I saw blood all over. It was really scary, I was really really scared. I didn’t know what was going on,” she said.
Saugus was placed on lockdown as were neighboring elementary schools and all of the schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District, officials said.
Aerial video showed students with their hands raised, being escorted by deputies away from the school of about 2,300 students, NBC Los Angeles reported. They were transported from the campus on school buses with armed deputies on board.
An area was set up for parents to reunify with students at a park about three miles from the school.
A statement from Mike Kuhlman, deputy superintendent of the William S. Hart Union High School District, said school officials were “in the process of formulating a plan to care for our school and our community — and will continue sharing updates aswe learn more – including the plan for the days ahead.”
“Our hearts go out to the families of those affected by this terrible incident. Words are insufficient in times such as these,” the statement said.
Gov. Governor Gavin Newsom said his office was monitoring the situation and in communication with law enforcement.
White House spokesman Judd Deere told The Associated Press that President Donald Trump was also monitoring reports on the incident.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates.