The 16-year-old who is accused of opening fire at a high school in Santa Clarita, California, killing two and injuring at least three has been identified.
The alleged gunman is Nathaniel Berhow, a sophomore at Saugus High School where the shooting took place. He is reportedly half-Japanese and lives about two miles away from the site of the slaying in Valencia. The day of the shooting marked his 16th birthday.
While at the high school, Berhow ran track and field, specifically the 800- and 1600-meter races.
One student at the school, 18-year-old Brooke Hougo, said Berhow kept to himself.
“I would have never expected anything like this,” Hougo said. “He was just a quiet kid.”
His father, Mark Berhow, died in December 2017 after a heart attack in which chronic alcoholism was a contributing factor. Prior to Mark Berhow’s death, the gunman’s mother sued for custody of their children.
The Thursday shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. local time.
Upon arriving at the scene, police discovered six gunshot victims in the quad area of the high school. Police said Berhow had pulled out a semi-automatic .45 caliber pistol from his backpack and began firing before shooting himself in the head.
Berhow is in custody and being treated at a local hospital. Officials said he is in “grave” condition. A 16-year-old female victim and a 14-year-old male victim died at the hospital from their wounds.
[Related: Democrats call for stricter gun control mere hours after shooting at California high school]
