An 18-year-old suspect, Bradley Scott Sayer, has been arrested following a deadly shooting at the Butte County Library in Chico, California, on Monday evening, 22 June. Police say the suspect was allegedly motivated by a desire to re-enact the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.
Police recovered a shotgun registered to Sayer's family, which was the weapon allegedly used in the attack and also discovered additional firearms inside the suspect's vehicle.
During a Tuesday press conference, authorities revealed that Sayer allegedly surveyed the library before returning to his vehicle to retrieve the shotgun.
Authorities detailed Sayer's timeline of attacks, which started with the suspect shooting a man in the leg at the entrance before proceeding to aim at his head and pulling the trigger.
A second victim was reportedly shot in the head elsewhere inside the building.
After further investigations, the victims were revealed to be 46-year-old Jacob Hull and 74-year-old Robert Johnson.
Police officers also reported that a child, whose identity has not been disclosed, suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
The Officers' Four-Minute Save
At around 5:12pm, the Chico Police Department received a distressing 911 call. Dispatchers reportedly heard gunshots and screaming in the background.
The call was made inside the Butte Country Library at 1108 Sherman Avenue, and police arrived on the scene within just two minutes.
Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge praised the officers during the conference, stating, 'From the first 911 call to having him in custody was less than 4 minutes.'
He added that although the suspect would have already fled through the back of the library, additional officers posted behind the building were able to apprehend him successfully.
The suspect is now in custody at Butte County Jail, with District Attorney Michael Ramsey saying that the suspect is expected to face two counts of first-degree murder as well as attempted murder charges.
A Sick Columbine-Inspired Attack
Perhaps the most harrowing detail behind this incident is the suspect's alleged affinity for the Columbine Murders. Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey stated, 'He had been a fan, and a fan for a long time.'
Sid Patel, the special agent from Sacramento's FBI office in charge of the case, stated that Sayer was wearing a shirt with the words 'natural selection,' which is the same as the t-shirt worn by one of the two shooters from the 1999 massacre, Eric Harris.
Aftermath in the Community
Investigations continue, but authorities believe that Sayer has acted alone in this attack.
During the news conference, Aldridge acknowledged the impact of the attacks, stating, 'The incident this evening was obviously very sad, traumatic for a lot of people. Very traumatic for our community.'
Butte County officials took it to Facebook to offer condolences by saying, 'Deepest condolences to everyone affected, including the victims, their loved ones, library staff, and all those impacted by this heartbreaking incident.'
Meanwhile, all Butte County library branches remained closed on Tuesday, and a family reunification centre was set up for the people who were inside the building.
