Washington high school shooting: two dead and three in critical condition

A shooter opened fire in a high school cafeteria in Marysville, Washington. Marysville-Pilchuck high school went into lock down around 11am local time Friday.

The shooter and one more person died. Three more young people are in critical condition at Providence Regional Medical Center, in Everett, Washington. Doctors there say all appear to have gunshot wounds to the head.

A fourth victim suffered a jaw wound. This victim is being cared for at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.

Police have not yet identified the shooter or the weapon used. We’re expecting another press briefing around 2.30pm Pacific time.

Local television stations show students and families continue to reunite at a local church, almost three hours after the shooting.

We’re going to wrap things up here. Read our story for further updates.

Hospital officials confirmed that three “young people” are in critical condition, and a fourth has lesser injuries.

The chief medical officer of Providence Regional Medical Center, Dr Joanne Roberts, said that all of the victims appear to have gunshot wounds. Of the three at Providence hospital, all have wounds to the head. The fourth victim was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, with a wound to the jaw.

“Each is suffering tremendously,” Roberts said at as press conference.

To recap: police have confirmed that, in addition to the shooter, another person died during the Marysville-Pilchuck school shooting. It’s not clear at this stage whether the victim was a student or a staff member. The incident started in the school cafeteria, but it’s not clear yet where police found the bodies of the gunman and his victim.

Cmdr Robb Lamoureux said he’s attending a 1.30pm (local time) command briefing, and will have another conference after gathering information there. Lamoureux said to expect another briefing around 2.30pm.

Police are searching the high school again, a secure “grid check,” as students are bussed to a reunification location at a local church.

Marysville police Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux said the shooting began in the cafeteria, consistent reports we’re hearing from witnesses on local media.

The shooting did originate in the cafeteria as we understand it, and so there was some type of activity there in the cafeteria, it is known. I do not know where the deceased were located.”

In addition to two deceased, the shooter and one victim, the Associated Press is reporting that three students are in critical condition.

“We are confirming two deceased at this time, one is the shooter and the second, we are not confirming if that is a student or a staff at this time,” Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux says at 1pm press conference.

President Obama was briefed on the shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck high school about an hour ago.

“Local media reported that the suspected gunman, who remained unnamed, was popular and had many siblings. Some family members flocked to the school and verbally clashed with camera crews. They were later seen talking to police,” the Guardian’s Rory Carroll (@rorycarroll72) reports.

Marysville police have announced the next press briefing, at city hall at 1pm.

“At least three injured people with gunshot wounds were reportedly taken to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, including one with a head wound. A fourth patient was expected,” the Guardian’s Rory Carroll (@rorycarroll72) reports.

Read the full story here.

Local news station KIRO7 reports that many students are still being led out of the school, some with hands over their heads.

Police in Marysville, Washington announced that parents and students will reunite at a local church.

Marysville is a city of 63,000 about 34 miles north of Seattle. The Marysville School District has 11,500 students. The high school is believed to have about 2,500 students enrolled.

Many parents have yet to make contact with their children. King5 Seattle reports parents are being directed away from the school to a church.

(h/t @kaylaepstein)

The Seattle FBI office “has personnel on the way to the scene to offer assistance to local partners, who handled the initial response,” says spokesperson Ayn S Dietrich. “I don’t have details to provide, though, because I defer to our partners for that release.”

h/t Jessica Glenza (@jessicaglenza)

Police are holding a briefing near the school.

Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux says police are confirming one person dead, believed to be shooter, on campus.

Lamoureux says:

“At this very moment we have officers on scene that are clearing all of the buildings on campus to make sure there is no longer an active threat.”

“I don’t know the status of all of the students i know we are in the process of evacuating them.”

“It’s really just kind of a holding pattern.”