Investigation begins in California school shooting

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Neighbors and anonymous law enforcement sources have identified the student suspected in Thursday’s shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., as 16-year-old Nathaniel Berhow. He remains in the hospital in critical condition after shooting himself. A 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy died after the shooting, and three other students sustained injuries.

What was the motive? The shooter seemed to target students at random, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Kent Wegener. Authorities questioned the gunman’s mother on Thursday. People who knew Berhow described him as smart and quiet but not anti-social. Police are searching through papers, computer hard drives, and social media posts and messages for clues as to what motivated the shooting.

Dig deeper: Read updates on the shooting in The Sift from Thursday.

WORLD has updated this report with more information about the shooting suspect.

Rachel Lynn Aldrich

Rachel is a former assistant editor for WORLD Digital. She is a Patrick Henry College and World Journalism Institute graduate. Rachel resides with her husband in Wheaton, Ill.