An 18-year-old man is expected to face first-degree murder charges following a shooting at a northern California library on Monday evening that resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to a child. Police in Chico, California, identified the victims as 74-year-old Robert Johnson of Orland and 46-year-old Jacob Hull of Chico. The injured child was reportedly with Mr Hull at the time of the incident.
Emergency services received multiple 911 calls at approximately 5:12pm on Monday, reporting screams and gunshots. Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge stated that officers were on the scene and had the suspect in custody within four minutes, a rapid response credited with preventing further casualties. The suspect, identified as Bradley Scott Sayer of Chico, is alleged to have conducted a walkthrough of the library before retrieving a shotgun from his car. He then shot the first victim near the entrance, disabling them before fatally shooting them in the head. A second victim was also fatally shot in the head after multiple shots were fired inside the library. A young girl, whose identity has not been released due to her age, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and has since been discharged from hospital.
FBI field agent Sid Patel indicated that the suspect was "looking for a confined, populated location to attack" when he approached the library. Further details revealed by officials suggest a potential motive linked to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The suspect was reportedly wearing a white T-shirt with the words "natural selection" – a phrase associated with one of the Columbine shooters. This, along with social media habits and interviews with detectives, led officials to believe Sayer was a long-term 'fan' of social media communities focused on school shootings, according to Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey.
Sayer had graduated from Chico High School just weeks prior to the shooting. His father, David Sayer, told the San Francisco Chronicle that there had been "zero" warning signs, describing his son as shy and "high-functioning" on the autism spectrum. He expressed shock, stating, "He's never harmed anybody. I can't say that anymore." The father had spoken to his son just hours before the incident.
The suspect is scheduled for arraignment in California superior court on Thursday, where he is expected to face two counts of first-degree murder, with potential for additional attempted murder charges. Authorities are investigating how Sayer obtained the shotgun used in the shooting, as well as other firearms found in his car. Police Chief Aldridge confirmed the guns were registered "to the family name" but did not provide further details. In California, individuals aged 18 and over can legally purchase certain long guns, such as shotguns.
The Chico branch library, which was already scheduled for temporary closure in August for renovations, will remain shut until these works are complete. Other Butte County library branches will continue to operate with enhanced security measures. Chico is a college town located approximately 90 miles from the state capital, with a population of around 107,000.