BREAKING NEWS: Reports of School shooting in Taft, California

NPR

Taft School Shooting: Teacher Helped Pacify Gunman; Armed Guard Was Out Today

Vermont Public Radio ‎- 2 hours ago

The incident occurred at a high school in Taft, Calif., about 120 miles north of Los Angeles. ... The local KGET-TV writes that "Kern County Fire officials say one ... At a news briefing Thursday afternoon, Kern County Sheriff Don ...

Victim in critical condition after suspect opens fire in CA classroom

Posted:Updated:

By RNN Staff - email

Police have a suspect in custody after a gunman opened fire around 9 a.m. PT at the school. (Source: KERO/CNN)

Police surround Taft Union High School after someone began shooting Thursday. (Source: KERO/CNN)

Exterior of Taft Union High School. (Source: KERO/CNN)

A shooting took place Thursday at Taft Union High School in Taft, CA. (Source: taft.k12.ca.us)

TAFT, CA (RNN) – One person was critically injured after a gunman opened fire at Taft Union High School on Thursday.

Kern County Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt said a student had been shot and flown to a hospital in Bakersfield. Pruitt said a suspect, also believed to be a student, was in custody.

Kern Country Sheriff Donny Youngblood said during a press conference that the 16-year-old victim is listed in critical but stable condition.

Authorities cleared the school room by room of any other potential danger. The shooting was reported around 9 a.m. Thursday, and police had the suspect in custody about 20 minutes later. Youngblood said officials were on the scene within one minute of the initial reports.

Youngblood added that the suspect didn't show up for first period this morning. He interrupted the class halfway through the period. The suspect shot the victim, then tried to shoot a second student, however he missed.

The teacher in the classroom then engaged the shooter in dialogue and tried to convince him to put down his weapon. The teacher and a campus "resource officer" eventually persuaded the suspect to relinquish his weapon and he was taken into police custody.

Officials praised the teacher and resource officer for their ability to speak with the suspect, adding that the incident could have ended much worse, as the suspect had up to 20 rounds of ammunition in his pocket.

"We know the students involved, the teacher, the campus supervisor are some really awesome people. They did a great job protecting the kids," said Taft Police Chief Ed Whiting. "We can't thank them enough for what they did today."

Coincidentally, according to Taft School District Superintendent Bill McDermott, school staff participated in lockdown training this morning at 7:30 a.m. PST.

According to Youngblood, one student was at the hospital with possible hearing damage after the shotgun fired close to her ears. Another student fell over some tables trying to get out of the room and sustained only minor injuries.

Meanwhile, KERO reported that the station received at least one phone call from a person hiding in a close inside the school.

The school, which serves the city and surrounding area, was founded in 1912. The California Department of Education reports the public school holds grades nine through 12 and has about 935 students and 64 faculty members.

An armed Taft Police Department officer is usually assigned to the school, however Youngblood said he was unable to report to the school today because he was "snowed in."

The school will not be holding class tomorrow.

Taft is located about 30 miles west southwest of Bakersfield and has a population around 7,000.

The shooting in Taft, CA comes less than a month after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, which left 28 people dead.

At least two people were shot at Taft High School Thursday morning. It happened at about 9 a.m. and as of 9:30, students had been evacuated to the football field and there were reports one person was in custody.

Details were still sketchy at 9:45 a.m. but the Sheriff's Department has confirmed a shooter is in custody and at least two people have been wounded.

Hall Ambulance dispatched three ambulances and a medevac helicopter.

KGET has four teams at the scene and will have full coverage beginning at noon, and continuing coverage on KGET.com

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Comment by truth on January 10, 2013 at 10:30pm

NPR

Taft School Shooting: Teacher Helped Pacify Gunman; Armed Guard Was Out Today

Vermont Public Radio ‎- 2 hours ago

The incident occurred at a high school in Taft, Calif., about 120 miles north of Los Angeles. ... The local KGET-TV writes that "Kern County Fire officials say one ... At a news briefing Thursday afternoon, Kern County Sheriff Don ...

Comment by It is I only on January 10, 2013 at 8:51pm: "An armed Taft Police Department officer is usually assigned to the school, however Youngblood said he was unable to report to the school today because he was "snowed in."

I don't know, why it remind me of the shooting at Port Arthur in Tasmania!

The police were called a fair distance away for NOTHING!

Comment by Amaterasu Solar on January 10, 2013 at 5:55pm: False flag. Psyop. As for footage... They could put stock footage on air, claiming it was of the event. Would YOU know any differently?

"Give up Your guns, People, and Our children will be safe!" Except from controlMIND (governMENT) tyranny.

Comment by Mr. Ed on January 10, 2013 at 5:45pm: The enemy is not at the gates, they are already inside. They know that the economy is hitting rock bottom in 2013, they don't want the peasants with semi-auto weapons, pitchforks are ok. Because they will have the automatic weapons.

Comment by Sheridan Louis Peterson on January 10, 2013 at 5:41pm: I can't figure you guys out. Perhaps my stint in the Marine Corps had a very negative effect on me. Killing after sex was the jarheads' favorite topic. War was a sort of legalized murder. Now there is WMD like napalm, white phosphorus, cluster bombs that look like toys and blow kids heads off. Daisy cutters. Marines, a majority, love them. I also spent seven years as a civilian refugee adviser in the Mekong Delta listening to their raves. Killing, mass killing, is great sport. Reflect. How do you plan to use your gun or as the Marines would say, "weapon"? Give me a scenario? I knock at your door and demand that you turn over all you assault rifles and boxes of ammo. What is you response? Are you ready and waiting for me?

Comment by Clint Milby on January 10, 2013 at 5:04pm: In other news today:

Biden: Consensus emerging on gun safety, plans to deliver recommendations to Obama by Tuesday

By Associated Press,

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden says he will deliver recommendations to President Barack Obama on steps to curb violence by Tuesday.

Biden says a consensus is emerging over proposals such as tightening background checks and banning high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Biden told a group of sportsmen and wildlife interest groups that he has “never quite heard so much talk about high-capacity magazines” as he has since last month’s horrific mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Biden was meeting with the groups Thursday at the White House. He was set to meet later with the National Rifle Association, the powerful pro-gun organization.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-consensus-emerging-on-...

Comment by Clint Milby on January 10, 2013 at 4:59pm: Not to cause a panic - but if you have a kid in the public school system, I would say pull them out immediately. Schools nationwide seem to be participating in the False Flag operation and everyone from the teachers to the students are seen as collateral damage -- IE if a Federal law is enacted to ban guns, the death of a few kids was worth it.

Comment by truth on January 10, 2013 at 4:41pm: Youngblood added that the suspect didn't show up for first period this morning.

Coincidentally, according to Taft School District Superintendent Bill McDermott, school staff participated in lockdown training this morning at 7:30 a.m. PST.

UPDATED ABOVE, REFRESH!

Comment by truth on January 10, 2013 at 4:29pm: WOW CLINT, CRAZY

Comment by Clint Milby on January 10, 2013 at 4:11pm: Per Sheriff, the FBI was there per the Sheriff's Department's request and then asked to stay on and assess the situation. Superintendent is only an interim super intendent.

Comment by Clint Milby on January 10, 2013 at 4:08pm: You can't make this up - there was a training mission going on at the school at 730AM this morning...also, they do have an armed guard, but he was unable to attend due to snow.

Comment by william mcgarry on January 10, 2013 at 3:52pm: Lets see how long it takes the biased liberal news jackwagons to report that the weapon used was an assault rifle and not a shotgun.

Comment by truth on January 10, 2013 at 3:33pm: thank clint!

Comment by truth on January 10, 2013 at 3:33pm: Update + Local News Video Taft School Shooting

Sheriff's Dept to hold news conference at Taft High School at noon PST

1PM PST Local News Video Taft School Shooting

Students Still In Lock-Down -Swat, and FBI Teams Clearing Rooms

One person shot refused medical care and left.

Comment by Clint Milby on January 10, 2013 at 3:11pm: There is live feed showing a fire team of US Military or HRT and men with FBI windbreakers on the scene - http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Taft-Bakersfield-School-Sho...

Comment by RedLeg on January 10, 2013 at 2:44pm: 1 student with a shotgun wounded a teacher and another student. He's in custody. Wounds non-life threatening as reported by NBC4 in SoCal.

Comment by RedLeg on January 10, 2013 at 2:36pm: Oath Keeper ready...

Comment by Hardknocks24 on January 10, 2013 at 2:32pm: I'm locked cocked and loaded safety off

Comment by Amaterasu Solar on January 10, 2013 at 1:41pm: James, You're onto something! Yes, it's another psyop. With THAT info...no other likelihood.