5 dead, including gunman, 10 injured in Tehama County shooting ‘rampage’
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TEHAMA COUNTY, Calif. (KCRA) —
TEHAMA COUNTY, Calif. (KCRA) —Five people, including a gunman, were killed in a shooting spree Tuesday morning that started at a home and moved to an elementary school in Tehama County, the sheriff’s department said.
Multiple shots were fired around 8 a.m. at Rancho Tehama School on Stagecoach Road on the outskirts of Corning, northwest of Chico, Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said.
“It was a bizarre and murderous rampage,” Johnston said.
No children were killed in the shooting. However, one student was shot at the school and taken to a hospital. A second child and a woman were also shot inside a truck as they drove past the gunman, Johnston said.
The child inside the truck suffered non-life-threatening wounds, and the woman had serious, life-threatening injuries, Johnston said. There is no word on the condition of the boy shot inside the school.
Ten other victims were being treated at area hospitals. Five people — at least three children — were taken to Enloe Medical Center in Chico. Three of those patients have been treated and released, hospital officials said.
The extent of the victims’ injuries have not been released.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Multiple 911 calls came in to the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department at 7:52 a.m. of shots fired with a man down in a neighborhood on Bobcat Lane near Fawn Lane in upper Rancho Tehama Reserve. The shooting spree lasted 45 minutes before the gunman was shot and killed by law enforcement.
The gunman stole a white Ford F-150 where he initially began firing and went on a “shooting rampage throughout the community,” Johnston said.
Soon after, multiple 911 calls indicated a number of shots were fired at several locations, including Rancho Tehama Elementary School.
Take a look at what we know and don’t know about the deadly shooting
Johnston said the gunman tried to get into rooms at the school with the intent of shooting children, but staff initiated a lockdown that saved lives.
School officials heard about the shots fired in the nearby neighborhood and immediately locked down the building.
Johnston said it was “monumental” that school workers took the action they did and there is no doubt in his mind they saved the lives of countless children.
It appeared that the gunman became frustrated by the lock down, got back into the stolen truck and left the campus, Johnston said.
The shooter then crashed that truck and carjacked a driver for his small sedan. The suspect drove away in the car, and at some point, drove past a woman taking her children to school and fired gunshots “without provocation” into their truck, according to Johnston.
The woman suffered life-threatening injuries, and a boy inside the truck was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Johnston said.
Truck where woman and child were found shot was just towed from scene. #RanchoTehamaShooting
The gunman was “randomly picking targets” as he fired shots at seven shooting scenes in the area, Johnston said.
“The shooter targeted the school from outside the school and shot inside the school with multiple rounds,” Johnston said.
While the gunman was in the second stolen vehicle, he shot at two officers near the school, who returned fire and killed the suspect, according to Johnston.
No officers were injured in the shooting.
Officers found a semiautomatic rifle and two handguns that were with the gunman, Johnston said.
More than 100 law enforcement officers are investigating the shooting.
“People died here today, folks,” Johnston said. “This is a very tragic event for all of us. There are children involved, it is an emotional thing. I am personally grateful to the men who engaged the suspect.”
WHO WAS THE GUNMAN?
Law enforcement has not released the shooter’s name, saying they are working to notify his next of kin. The gunman’s family identified the gunman to KCRA 3 as Kevin Neal.
The gunman had prior contacts with law enforcement officers, Johnston said.
Johnston said the shooter was arrested in January for assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a dispute with a neighbor. That neighbor was one of the people killed in the shooting.
The shooter also had a restraining order against him that stemmed from the dispute, Johnston said.
A semiautomatic rifle and two handguns were found with the gunman after he was shot and killed by officers, Johnston said.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the gunman was not licensed to carry a firearm and purchased the guns legally, Johnston said. He also said the gunman was not prohibited from buying guns, but it is unclear if the restraining order had a restriction for firearms.
MOM DESCRIBES LAST CALL WITH GUNMAN
The mother of the gunman told the Associated Press that Kevin Neal called her on Monday and said, “it’s all over now.”
Neal’s mother, who lives in in Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed her son was frustrated by the constant feuding with his neighbors.
“All of a sudden, now I’m on a cliff and there’s nowhere to go,” Neal told his mother during their last phone call. “No matter where I go for help here I get nobody who will help me. All they are doing is trying to execute me here.”
Neal’s mother said he was in a long-running dispute with neighbors he believed were cooking methamphetamine.
“Mom, it’s all over now,” she said Neal told her. “I have done everything I could do and I am fighting against everyone who lives in this area.”
She said Neal seemed content living in the rural neighborhood of modest homes and trailers and he grew marijuana on his property. She said he recently began complaining about his failing health that he attributed to the nearby methamphetamine labs.
The mother said she posted his $160,000 bail and spent $10,000 on a lawyer after he was arrested in January for stabbing a neighbor. Neal’s mother said the neighbor was slightly cut after Neal grabbed a steak knife out of the hand of the neighbor who was threatening him with it.
She said Neal apologized to her during their brief conversation. She thought it was for all the money she had spent.
He also told her that, “Mom you know what, my whole life you gave me such a good happy life and nobody could have a better mother than I had.”
NEIGHBOR DESCRIBES GUNMAN
Brian Flint spoke with Action News Now and said that his truck was stolen and his roommate was shot and killed by the gunman.
Here is part of an interview with the man who says his truck was stolen and his roommate was shot and killed by the alleged shooter who is described as a known felon in his 50’s named Kevin. #RanchoTehamashooting
“He’s dead. He didn’t make it,” Flint said. “For his family and everything, I feel bad, and we’ll be there for them.”
The roommates lived near the gunman, and Flint said that their neighbor had been shooting a lot of rounds recently.
“The crazy thing is that the neighbor has been shooting a lot of bullets lately, hundreds of rounds, large magazines,” Flint said. “We made it aware that this guy has been crazy, and he’s been threatening us and everything. I just feel like there maybe should have been more effort put into stopping things like this.”
REACTIONS TO DEADLY SHOOTING
Response was swift on social media after word spread that a gunman killed four people and injured several others in a shooting in the Tehama County community of Rancho Tehama in Northern California.
Gov. Jerry Brown posted a statement on Twitter about the shooting: “Anne and I are saddened to hear about today’s violence in Tehama County, which shockingly involved school children. We offer our condolences to the families who lost loved ones and united with all Californians in grief.”
Vice President Mike Pence tweeted his thoughts on the shooting and thanked law enforcement officers:
“Deeply saddened to hear of the shooting in N. California, the loss of life & injuries, including innocent children. We commend the effort of the courageous law enforcement. We’ll continue to monitor the situation & provide federal support, as we pray for comfort & healing for all impacted.”
Saddened to hear of the shooting in N. California, the loss of life & injuries, including innocent children. We commend the effort of courageous law enforcement. We’ll continue to monitor the situation & provide federal support, as we pray for comfort & healing for all impacted
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Oakland, posted, “Heartbroken by the news of a shooting at an elementary school in Rancho Tehama. Grateful to the officers and first responders on the scene. I am closely monitoring the situation.”
Heartbroken by the news of a shooting at an elementary school in Rancho Tehama. Grateful to the officers and first responders on the scene. I am closely monitoring the situation.
Sen. Jim Neilsen, R-Gerber, took to Twitter as well after the shooting:
“My heart goes out to the victims and loved ones affected by Tuesday morning’s horrific shooting in Rancho Tehama. We are heartbroken over this senseless violence, and will be praying for the speedy recovery of those injured and for the emotional peace for those affected.”
My heart goes out to the victims and loved ones affected by Tuesday morning’s horrific shooting in Rancho Tehama.
We are heartbroken over this senseless violence, and will be praying for the speedy recovery of those injured and for the emotional peace for those affected.
