A special education teacher and one of her students were fatally shot by her estranged husband when he opened fire with a high-caliber revolver before killing himself in her classroom at a San Bernardino, California, elementary school, police said.
A second student was badly wounded by the gunman, who authorities said had a criminal history that included weapons charges and domestic violence that predated his brief marriage to the slain teacher.
Police said the two students, both boys, were believed to have been inadvertently caught in the gunfire as bystanders to Monday's shooting, which took place about 8 miles (13 km) from where a radicalised Muslim couple killed 14 people in a December 2015 shooting rampage.
Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said the shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles, was an apparent murder-suicide. It was the latest in dozens of cases of gun violence at U.S. school campuses.
The gunman was identified as Cedric Anderson, and his wife as Karen Elaine Smith, both 53. Burguan said the couple had been married briefly and had been separated for about a month or month and a half.
The two students struck by gunfire had been standing behind Smith, the chief said. One 8-year-old boy, identified as Jonathan Martinez, died from his wounds. A 9-year-old classmate who was not publicly identified was admitted to a hospital, where he was said to be in stable condition.
Fifteen students and two adult teacher assistants were in the classroom along with the couple at the time of the shooting, police said.
Police said Anderson was welcomed into the school as a legitimate visitor, stopping by the "drop something off with his wife," and kept his weapon concealed until opening fire in the classroom, Burguan said.
ANGUISH AND RELIEF
The school was evacuated after the shooting and students were bused to the campus of California State University at San Bernardino to be briefed and interviewed by authorities. From there, they were taken to a nearby high school and be reunited with their families.
Aerial television footage showed children holding hands and walking single-file across the campus to waiting buses.
Parents waved and cheered as they greeted their children, who school staff had plied with bottled water, sandwiches and snack bars while waiting for parents to arrive.
"I'm glad my daughter is fine," said Angelique Youmans, 31, as she hugged her 10-year-old daughter. "She is too young to understand what happened."
Samantha Starcher, 25, said she waited four hours to be reunited with her 6-year-old daughter.
"When I heard about the shooting, I started praying, asking God to keep my daughter safe" she said. "She heard two gunshots but she didn't know what it was. I'm not going to tell her (about the shooting) because I don't want to traumatize her."
School officials said North Park Elementary would remain closed for at least two days.
The city of San Bernardino last made national headlines on Dec. 2, 2015, when a husband and wife who authorities said were inspired by Islamic extremism opened fire on a holiday office party of county health workers, killing 14 people and wounding more than 20. The couple, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were killed by police during a shootout.
MOUNTING SCHOOL GUN VIOLENCE
The school shooting came two days after a fitness instructor returned to a Florida gym a few hours after he had been fired and shot two former colleagues to death.
An estimated 10,000 people are murdered with guns each year in the United States, according to federal crime statistics.
The United States has had an average of 52 school shooting incidents a year since a gunman killed 26 young children and educators in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun-control group founded in response to that massacre.
Total school shootings, a figure that includes elementary schools, high schools and colleges, regardless of whether anyone was killed or wounded, rose from 37 in 2013 to 58 in 2014 and to 65 in 2015, before declining to 48 in 2016, according to the group's data.
With Monday's San Bernardino incident, the United States has had 12 school shootings this year, on pace to match 2016's tally.
Mayor Carey Davis said he had spoken about the shooting to White House officials who said President Donald Trump expressed "concern for students and teachers" at North Park.
Security experts said schools have few options to limit such incidents, given the prevalence of guns in the United States.
"If people have guns, people are going to use guns, so it's literally the price that we pay for that freedom," said. John DeCarlo, a criminal justice professor at the University of New Haven and the former chief of police in Branford, Connecticut.
One answer, he said, would be for all schools to sweep everyone who entered with metal detectors like those used at airports and sports venues. U.S. Education Department data said just 2 percent of U.S. schools require people entering to pass through metal detectors, up from 1 percent in 2000.
Gun control activist Shannon Watts, who founded Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America following the Newtown shooting, said her group will continue to push for regulation on gun access rather than metal detectors as a solution.
"It's a cultural question," she said. "Do we want to become a country of magnetometers and safety checkpoints and gun lockers?"
Reuters
Tue Apr 11 2017
![California gunman kills wife, self as she teaches class; student also dead California gunman kills wife, self as she teaches class; student also dead](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2017-04/81491883708_gunmancalifornia.jpg)
A second student was badly wounded by the gunman.
![Pelancong asing ditahan disyaki cabul pekerja spa di Pulau Perhentian Pelancong asing ditahan disyaki cabul pekerja spa di Pulau Perhentian](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-07/51658407048_Cabul.jpg)
Pelancong asing ditahan disyaki cabul pekerja spa di Pulau Perhentian
Polis menahan seorang pelancong lelaki warga Maghribi kerana disyaki mencabul seorang juruterapi wanita rakyat tempatan di Pulau Perhentian.
Warga Thailand seludup diesel dihadapkan mahkamah
Seorang pemandu lori warga Thailand dihadapkan ke mahkamah atas menyeleweng 322 liter minyak diesel minggu lalu.
ADUN Rembia sertai Pas: YB Kampar minta buka riben putih
Susulan pengumuman ADUN Rembia sertai Pas dalam sidang media, YB Kampar, Chong Zhemin kemuka Peraturan Mesyuarat dan menyifatkan satu penghinaan besar buat Parlimen.
#SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews
#SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews
![Malaysia, Brunei dalam proses rundingan muktamad sempadan darat negara - Mohamad Malaysia, Brunei dalam proses rundingan muktamad sempadan darat negara - Mohamad](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41720590984_DatukSeriMohamadH.jpg)
Malaysia, Brunei dalam proses rundingan muktamad sempadan darat negara - Mohamad
Mohamad Hasan berkata buat masa ini, kerja-kerja penandaan dan pengukuran di lapangan telah meliputi 175.96 km atau 33.3 peratus daripada keseluruhan jarak sempadan.
Kim Pan Gon undur diri kesan kepada Harimau Malaya
Apa reaksi peminat Harimau Malaya dan penganalisis sukan mengenai peletakan jawatan Kim Pan-Gon?
Masuk Pas untuk sama-sama susah dengan rakyat - ADUN Rembia
Muhamad Jailani berkata, sebelum ini beliau pernah menghantar surat kepada Lembaga Disiplin UMNO memohon untuk memecat keahliannya daripada parti Melayu itu.
![Perang berlarutan antara punca kelewatan penghantaran Black Hawk Perang berlarutan antara punca kelewatan penghantaran Black Hawk](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/51712121864_TBADLYZAHARIjp.jpg)
Perang berlarutan antara punca kelewatan penghantaran Black Hawk
Perkara itu dimaklumkan pihak Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd iaitu syarikat yang dipertanggungjawabkan dalam kontrak perolehan perkhidmatan sewaan helikopter berkenaan.
Keghairahan final Euro 2024 dibawakan ke restoran mamak
Kemeriahan dan keghairahan perlawanan final UEFA EURO 2024 antara Sepanyol dengan England di Berlin, Jerman dirasai di Malaysia, dibawakan oleh 'Astro BizOne Watch Party' di Restoran Hakim, Seksyen 7, Shah Alam.
![Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721115027_MuhammadAdiLagik.jpg)
Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas
Polis sedang berusaha mengesan seorang remaja lelaki yang dilaporkan hilang oleh keluarganya di Kuala Pilah sejak enam hari lepas.
[TERKINI] Sidang media khas FAM
FAM adakan satu sidang media khas petang nanti, difahamkan berkaitan rombakan. Kepimpinan tertinggi FAM atau barisan kejurulatihan skuad Harimau Malaya?
![Prestasi lemah debat dengan Trump, ahli parti Demokrat persoal kemampuan Biden Prestasi lemah debat dengan Trump, ahli parti Demokrat persoal kemampuan Biden](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/71719671359_TBKamalaHarris.jpg)
Prestasi lemah debat dengan Trump, ahli parti Demokrat persoal kemampuan Biden
Beberapa ahli Parti Demokrat secara terbuka mempersoalkan sama ada Biden sepatutnya digantikan dengan calon lain dari parti itu dalam pilihan raya 2024.
![California terus berada di kedudukan teratas dalam kadar pengangguran di AS California terus berada di kedudukan teratas dalam kadar pengangguran di AS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/81716035583_Californiapengangg.jpg)
California terus berada di kedudukan teratas dalam kadar pengangguran di AS
California terus menerajui Amerika Syarikat (AS) dalam jumlah kehilangan pekerjaan sejak awal tahun ini.
![Sekurang-kurangnya empat maut dalam insiden tembakan di sebuah bar di AS Sekurang-kurangnya empat maut dalam insiden tembakan di sebuah bar di AS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-08/71692861156_barshooting.jpg)
Sekurang-kurangnya empat maut dalam insiden tembakan di sebuah bar di AS
Sekurang-kurangnya empat orang maut dalam kejadian tembakan di sebuah bar di negeri California di Amerika Syarikat pada Rabu.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-04/41680607592_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Hurikan Hilary landa California Hurikan Hilary landa California](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-08/81692600896_TropicalStormHilar.jpg)
Hurikan Hilary landa California
Selatan California telah mengalami kesan ribut sejak awal Ahad dan jumlah curahan hujan mula meningkat.
![Putri Ariani tampil persembahan memukau sempena Hari Kemerdekaan Indonesia Putri Ariani tampil persembahan memukau sempena Hari Kemerdekaan Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-08/81692259782_PutriAriani.jpg)
Putri Ariani tampil persembahan memukau sempena Hari Kemerdekaan Indonesia
Penyanyi kelahiran Indonesia, Putri Ariani tampil membuat persembahan sempena sambutan Hari Kemerdekaan Indonesia (HUT) ke 78 di Istana Merdeka, Jakarta Pusat pada Khamis.
![Kanak-kanak tidak sengaja tembak mati adik usia setahun di California Kanak-kanak tidak sengaja tembak mati adik usia setahun di California](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-04/61680423682_TBcrimescene.jpg)
Kanak-kanak tidak sengaja tembak mati adik usia setahun di California
Mangsa yang cedera di kepala itu dibawa ke hospital dan disahkan meninggal dunia pada 8.30 pagi Isnin waktu tempatan.
![Enam maut, pesawat terhempas berhampiran lapangan terbang California Selatan Enam maut, pesawat terhempas berhampiran lapangan terbang California Selatan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-07/51688900167_Californiaplanecra.jpg)
Enam maut, pesawat terhempas berhampiran lapangan terbang California Selatan
Sebuah pesawat ringan terhempas berhampiran Lapangan Terbang French Valley di California hingga mengorbankan kesemua enam penumpang.
!['Wolverine' dikesan di California, kedua disahkan dalam tempoh 100 tahun 'Wolverine' dikesan di California, kedua disahkan dalam tempoh 100 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-06/81685879317_TBWOLVERINEjpg.jpg)
'Wolverine' dikesan di California, kedua disahkan dalam tempoh 100 tahun
Seekor wolverine liar dikesan beberapa kali di California bulan lepas, menurut Jabatan Ikan dan Hidupan Liar California.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-04/41680607592_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.