The Oklahoman

No note, motive yet in school shooting

- By Stefanie Dazio and John Antczak

SANTA CLARITA, Cal if.—Investigat­ors said Friday they have yet to find a diary, manifesto or note that would explain why a boy killed two students outside his Southern California high school on his 16th birthday.

No motive has been establishe­d in the Thursday morning shooting at Saugus High School in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Clarita, said sheriff's homicide Capt. Kent Wegener.

The teenager opened fire around the beginning of the school day, and authoritie­s estimated he took just 16 seconds to pull out the weapon and shoot five classmates and then himself in a large central outdoor area.

Police said it was evident the teen planned the attack by the way he used the weapon and counted his rounds.

The last bullet was fired into his head. He remained in critical condition Friday.

Two students died, two remain hospitaliz­ed and one was released from the hospital.

One of t he dead was identified as 15- yearold Gracie Anne Muehlberge­r.

The shooter and the other victims have not been identified.

The suspect was described as a quiet and smart kid who was a Boy Scout and had previously run track for his school.

The other student who died was 14.

Doctors said Friday morning that two girls, ages 14 and 15, who were both shot in the torso, are doing well and should be released from the hospital over the weekend.

A 14-year-old boy was treated and released from another hospital, authoritie­s said.

A post on an Instagram account that said “S aug us, have fun at school tomorrow” and reported as possibly belonging to the shooter was debunked.

The account did not belong to the shooter and it was disabled for violating policies, Instagram owner Facebook said Friday.

Joe Fitzpatric­k, a senior who helped the teacher in the boy's physics class, called him a “good, quiet kid” who didn' t miss assignment­s and did well on tests.

“He just seemed like one of those regular kids,” Fitzpatric­k said.

Fellow students and a neighbor said he gave no indication he would become violent. One girl who knew him for years said he wasn't bullied and had a girlfriend.

When gun fire broke out, students turned off lights, barricaded themselves and sheltered in place.

“They did exactly how they were trained,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.

 ?? [MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] ?? Students embrace during a vigil at Central Park in the aftermath of a shooting at Saugus High School Thursday in Santa Clarita, Calif. Los Angeles County sheriff's officials say a 16-year-old student shot five classmates and then himself in a quad area of Saugus High School Thursday morning.
[MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] Students embrace during a vigil at Central Park in the aftermath of a shooting at Saugus High School Thursday in Santa Clarita, Calif. Los Angeles County sheriff's officials say a 16-year-old student shot five classmates and then himself in a quad area of Saugus High School Thursday morning.

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