A high school student at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Washington on Friday opened fire in their school's cafeteria. At least two people were confirmed killed, including the shooter identified as Jaylen Fryberg. Four others were injured.
According to Jordan Luton, one of the witnesses, students were busy eating lunch when they started to hear at least six "loud bang," as reported by CNN. Luton said that it was Fryberg, a freshman, who shot his "friends."
"It wasn't just random," Luton was quoted as saying in CNN report. He also said that Fryberg "shot at specific people." Students then started running and hiding under tables, he narrated.
Luton also said that what happened was really unexpected considering that Fryberg was "all fine" during the football practice.
Reuters in a separate report said that the shooter was actually a "well-liked freshman." He is even a part of the football and wrestling teams of their school.
CNN even said that Fryberg was "popular" in the school. He was hailed as their school "freshman homecoming prince," it added.
Another student, Rachel Heichel was quoted in an AFP report saying she did not expect that that was Fryberg. "I would have never expected it would have been him out of all people. It was really heartbreaking for me to see that. I saw him with a gun in his hand shooting," Heichel was quoted as saying.
According to AFP, another student was interviewed by KING 5 television and said that Fryberg was just "quiet" before he opened fire. Austin said that Fryberg was just quietly "sitting there." He then stood up and "pulled something from his pocket."
CNN citing a Maryland police spokesman said that Fryberg "died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound."
While Fryberg's motive has not yet been identified, CNN, AFP, and Reuters all reported that the shooter was fond of hunting, citing some of his posts on social media. CNN also said that Fryberg is a "Native American and a member of the Tulalip tribe."
CNN revealed that the gun that Fryberg used was traced to his father. CNN's unnamed source said that the weapon may be a "Beretta .40-caliber handgun."
Joanne Roberts, chief of medicine at Providence Regional Medical Center, was cited in the Reuters report saying that three of those young wounded victims were in critical condition after sustaining gunshot wounds to the head. The other one, on the other hand, was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle as he had "less serious injuries." The victims remain unidentified but hospital officials were cited in the report saying that the wounded victims were two boys and two girls.
Reuters said that this is the latest violence perpetrated at American schools. Back in 2012, at least 26 people, 20 of which were children, were killed by a 20-year old gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.