On Wednesday, a mass shooting happened on a Greyhound bus in Northern California that made one person into death and four others who were injured and in a critical condition including an 11-year-old girl and a pregnant woman, reports said.
The 21-year-old suspect Asaahdi Coleman reportedly shot the passengers while they exited the Los Angeles-bound bus after it stopped at a convenience store in the city of Oroville on Wednesday night, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Thursday.
Honea said, “This is a horrific tragedy that was visited upon our community.”
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Officers with the Oroville Police Department and deputies with the sheriff’s office found several people suffering from gunshot wounds at the scene, according to the release. In total, five people were shot, authorities later confirmed.
“Despite lifesaving measures, one person was pronounced dead at the scene and others were transported to local hospitals,” the release said.
At around 7:30 p.m authorities said that they received 911 calls reporting that someone was shooting inside a bus outside a convenience store in the small city of Oroville, about 65 miles (104 kilometers) north of Sacramento.
The official was able to find and retrieve a dozen 9 mm bullet casings on the bus, which had a bullet hole through the windshield. Detectives later recovered the weapon in a nearby construction site, Honea said.
Moments before the shooting Coleman, who had boarded the bus in Redding, told passengers that Los Angeles was a dangerous city and showed them a firearm he was carrying in a satchel, Honea said. He also got agitated and accused one of them of being an undercover law enforcement officer, the sheriff said.
He showed “what could best be described as paranoid behavior,” Honea said.
Reports also added that the suspect was able to arrive at the Walmart and was involved in an argument with a woman who was with her boyfriend after Coleman walk over to the cash register. The said argument escalated to a physical altercation, according to Honea.
He then began to remove all of his clothing after the authorities arrived. They then identified Coleman by the description they were given and arrested him without further incident.
The shooting investigation is ongoing, and officials will determine if drugs, alcohol or mental health issues played a role in the suspect’s behavior.
Though authorities did not identify the injured victims pending next-of-kin notification, they shared their ages and conditions.
They include an 11-year-old girl who was taken to a hospital and is stable; a pregnant 25-year-old woman currently listed in critical condition; a 38-year-old man who sustained minor injuries, is in good condition and is expected to be released soon; and a 32-year-old man who suffered multiple gunshot wounds underwent surgery and is listed in critical condition.
Ramsey called the shooting an “extraordinary event” in the small town, adding “a mass shooting (is) something that we have not had in this community.”
The DA said Coleman has a juvenile record as well as “brushes with the law” as an adult. At the time of his arrest, he was wanted on a warrant out of Alameda County for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Coleman illegally possessed the gun used in the attack, according to officials.
Ramsey said the 25 passengers and bus driver were brought in for interviews after the shooting.
“It’s our intent to see if we can get together all of the information necessary to file charges against him” on Friday, according to the DA.
In a statement to NBC News, a Greyhound spokesperson said: “Our primary concern at this time is the safety of our driver and passengers. We are working closely with local authorities.”
Sources: Action News Now, Action News 5, NBC News,
