Possibly sparked by a feud with a neighbor, a man went on an approximately 45-minute shooting spree in rural Northern California Tuesday morning, killing four people, including a mother who was driving her child to school. [LA Times]
The gunman, whom authorities have yet to identify, allegedly stole a pickup truck and drove it through rural Rancho Tehama in Tehama County about 120 miles northwest of downtown Sacramento. The gunman opened fire at random houses and cars, as well as a local elementary school that he terrorized during the shooting spree. The rampage ended with police killing the gunman in a shootout.
Just before 8 a.m., the rampage began with the gunman killing a man and a female neighbor with whom he had an ongoing feud, leading authorities to believe the dispute sparked the shooting spree.
“I think the motive of getting even with his neighbors and when it went that far — he just went on a rampage,” Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said.
At one point, the gunman crashed his stolen Ford F-150 through the gates of the local elementary school, ran into the center of the school’s quad and began firing a semiautomatic rifle. He sprayed gunfire at windows and walls while students and staff rushed into classrooms.
One student was shot while under a desk in a classroom. The child is reportedly in stable condition.
In all, at least 10 people were wounded in the rampage. Police say there was a total of seven different crime scenes.
The mother who was killed was shot without provocation while she was driving with her son in the back seat. The boy is expected to survive the attack.