MARYSVILLE, Wash. - A student opened fire Friday morning at Marysville Pilchuck High School, killing one student and critically injuring four others before fatally shooting himself, police and witnesses said.
Squadrons of police cars swarmed to the school at about 10:45 a.m. after receiving reports of an active shooter opening fire.
The shooter, later identified as Jaylen Fryberg, fired several shots at other students in the school cafeteria. Five students were hit by the gunfire, and one of them was killed. The four others were severely injured. The shooter then turned the gun on himself.
"We are confident there is only one shooter and the shooter is deceased," said Marysville Police Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux in a noon briefing.
Dr. Joanne Roberts at Providence Regional Medical Center said four young victims were transported there after the shootings. Three of them - two girls and a boy - are in very critical condition with head wounds. The fourth student, a boy, is in critical but stable condition, and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, she said.
Roberts said four trauma teams were activated with a total of 25 doctors
"They performed very well in a very difficult circumstance," she said. "We have dreaded this day in the community, but we were prepared to handle these kids when they came."
One student, Alex, said she was in the cafeteria when the shooting started.
"I was eating and I hear four gunshots," she said. "So I look behind me and I saw a gun pointing at this one kid who I knew. ... As soon as everyone saw the gun or heard the gunshots, they ran toward the wall. Some kids ran out the exit that I ran out of."
Alex said she estimated about 50 to 60 students were in the cafeteria at the time. "I ran first for the wall, and then I thought, 'I'm not staying in here.' So I ran out and called my mom."
Cedar Parker, a 17-year-old senior, told The Associated Press he was driving away from the campus for lunch when he saw students running from the school and trying to jump a fence. Parker let several of them in his car. He heard other students yelling for their friends: "Where are you?"
Parker would have been nearby if he had chosen to eat in the cafeteria, he said: "Leaving saved my life."
Police said they do not know Fryberg's motive. Other students described him as an accomplished athlete on the football team who was "like normal" on Thursday.
At least 20 police cars and multiple ambulances responded to the shootings.
Students were evacuated from the school and taken by bus to a church at 51st Avenue and Grove Street.
"We do ask parents to stay away (from the school), it's an active situation," Lamoureux said. "We need to make it safe and secure. Please don't go to the campus, that makes it difficult for our officers."
Ayn Dietrich, an FBI spokesperson in Seattle, said the agency had personnel on their way to the scene to help authorities with the investigation.
The latest school shooting in the region happened at Seattle Pacific University, where a gunman killed one student and wounded two others on June 5.
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This is a developing news story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.