SANTA CLARITA – Friends and neighbors of the Saugus High School shooting suspect described him as a quiet and kind person and not someone they would not have expected to open fire on classmates.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has not identified the shooter, but multiple broadcast reports said he is 16-year-old Nathaniel Berhow.
“He was respectful, how he talked about others,” neighbor Jared Axen told KTLA5. “It could be just the relationship that he and I had together, but, you know, I just wish he was willing to say that he needed some help.”
Axen said Berhow’s father died about two years ago and it was his understanding Nathan found his father’s body inside the family’s home.
Axen said he knew the family his entire life and was surprised by what occurred at the school.
Berhow’s mother, Mami Mastuura, told The Daily Mail “I don’t even know what to do right now, I am just praying for my son’s life.”
A student named Maxwell told Fox11 that in the days leading up to the shooting Berhow had been acting differently.
“As far as I could tell from the recent days that I’ve seen him, he was looking kind of down and I guess just kind of depressed about something,” Maxwell said. “I didn’t really ask him what it was that he was depressed about, but from what I could tell he was different. He wasn’t acting like himself.”
A cross-country teammate of Berhow’s was shocked he could be capable of such a violent act.
“He was such the nicest person… I don’t know why he would ever do this, especially on his birthday,” the teammate told Fox11.
Berhow turned 16 on Thursday, Nov. 14.
Around 7:40 a.m., he allegedly walked into the Saugus High School campus quad, pulled a .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol from his backpack and shot five classmates, two fatally, then shot himself in the head.
Previous related story: Saugus HS student shoots 5 classmates, killing 2, then shoots self
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Alby says
I ask myself, Why cant they just trip and hit their head with a corner of a rock and go into a coma before they enter a campus and try to kill other kids. Problem solved… no shots fired.
Mark says
Speaking as a California Liberal,, it is not this poor boys fault. It is the guns fault.
Tim Scott says
It would be nice if you spoke as a liberal for once, instead of your usual speaking as an idiot.
Tim Scott says
LOL…where have you been for the hundreds of times I’ve been called names on this site? Not quite so concerned about rule enforcement then I guess?
Chuck Heston says
You folks need to understand a few things.
Guns don’t kill people. BULLETS KILL PEOPLE.
Got it? Now, spread the word.
Gowchong says
Yah…and CA has already moved to restrict the purchase of bullets. We now have to register each bullet we purchase. I’m not kidding.
Alexis says
Dearest Chuck: Except if you’re pistol whipped, and die. Then you would “dodge the bullet.”
Tom says
People kill people. Guns, bullets, knifes, water, rope, and vegetable cans don’t have a mind and go out looking for people to kill
Motive Unknown says
The suspect is dead.