TAFT – There was a school shooting around 9 a.m. Thursday morning in Taft, California – a small community located about 30 miles southwest of Bakersfield in Kern County.
One student was shot in the Science Building at Taft High School, according to news release from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
That student was airlifted to Bakersfield hospital.
The shooting suspect, who is also a student at the high school, was taken into custody, and a weapon was recovered, according to the news release.
Taft Police, Kern County Sheriff SWAT, the California Highway Patrol and the FBI were called in to evacuate and secure the school, according to a local newspaper’s website.
Officials have not released the identities of the victim or the suspect in the shooting, and will be giving more information at a press conference later today.
Congressman Kevin McCarthy, whose district includes Taft, released a statement regarding the incident:
“I am deeply saddened and troubled by news of the shooting. Judy and I offer our prayers to the victims, their families and the entire Taft community,” the statement reads.
More information about the shooting is available at www.taftmidwaydriller.com, the community newspaper’s website.
Information on the shooting can also be found at the New York Daily News.
–
Heather says
it’s sad that this kid was bullied in the first place.. why did the school allow that to happen? some of the kids interviewed openly admitted that they bullied him.. were they so much better than he was? I thought bullying was not going to be tolerated in schools? doesn’t excuse what he did, but, time for real change with these bullys in schools..
Forward says
“I am deeply saddened and troubled by news of the shooting. Judy and I offer our prayers to the victims, their families and the entire Taft community,” Kevin McCarthy R-Bakersfield
In the live broadcast, McCarthy went on to praise the teacher and security attendant for talking the boy down, getting him to drop his gun. During that time, they were able to get the kids out of the classroom, and evacuate the school.
We’ve yet to see any follow-up media coverage of any of this.
Les says
The parents should be charged as accessories. They should have removed all potential weapons from the home after the expulsion for the hit list. THIS is the problem NOT guns!
Lynn says
Unbelievable…what is wrong with these people?
Thomas says
The best gun control would be resposible people securing their weapons so that kids and nuts don’t get them. We don’t need the politicians to tell us that.
IJS says
These “kids and nuts” buy guns at the corner. Responsible what a joke..
SpareThePropaganda says
I grew up in what could me considered “ghetto” over near 3rd st east and H-12. During the 90s that was the spot all the raids seemed to happen, shootings, stabbings, dealers… etc.
Not once did I come across anyone I could get a gun from.
“…buy guns at the corner.” Please.
Maybe gang-affiliated people have a black market, but for the average kid, that is not an option.
Palmdale_Diego says
How about the parents “securing” their lame, retard of a kid. How about the school for letting this loser back in school, when he was kicked out of school last year for having a hit list on the bullies that were picking on him. Instead of kicking these bullies in the gonads, mental Johnnie has to get a gun. Sick.
Gladys says
There are so many thing wrong with what you just said. I am assuming you are an adult. Calling a kid a retard? You obviously have never been bullied…or maybe you have? Or maybe you were the bully?
Shooter definetly needs to be punished and also get mental health treatment. The school needs to learn how to identify and handle bullying before it gets to this point. For some reason the bullies go unpunished, except for the times some kid shoots them, which is wrong.