Friday, November 17, 2017
On Tuesday, in a multiple-location shooting spree lasting about 45 minutes, a gunman killed at least four people and wounded at least ten, including an injury at an elementary school in the rural town of Rancho Tehama, California, approximately 120 miles (195 km) northwest of the state capital of Sacramento. The shooter was shot dead by police. On Wednesday morning authorities reported his wife had been found dead in their house.
The shootings started at about 8 AM at a home. The gunman, wearing a tactical vest and driving a stolen truck, appeared to choose many of his other victims at random according to police. He shot a woman driving a car and a child who was a passenger, and rammed through the gate of the Rancho Tehama Elementary School, where he shot another child but was prevented from injuring more people by staff having locked the building down. According to the Associated Press, one of those killed was a neighbor with a restraining order against the gunman, who was accused of assaulting her in January. After he was fatally shot by deputies, a semi-automatic rifle and two handguns were recovered, and another gun was reportedly still in a stolen vehicle. According to the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office, seven crime scenes were being investigated. On Wednesday morning the Associated Press reported that according to Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston, the body of the suspect’s wife had been found hidden under the floor at their home, and she was believed to have been the first victim. He was identified as Kevin Janson Neal.
Witnesses reported hearing at least 100 gunshots, and a neighbor, Brian Flint, told the Redding Record Searchlight the man had “been shooting a lot of bullets lately, hundreds of rounds, large magazines” and neighbors had warned the police he was “crazy” and had been “threatening” them.