Four Dead, Including Two Special Education Students, in San Bernardino Elementary School Shooting

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Category: Crime

Published on Tuesday, 11 April 2017 07:45

Written by Janet Walker

Two special education first grade students, their teacher and her estranged husband died in the murder-suicide shooting at North Park Elementary school, in San Bernardino California, stemming from what authorities are calling an escalating domestic violence separation.

Karen Elaine Smith, 53, a Special Education teacher at San Bernardino Unified School District was shot and killed at point blank range in front of 15 students and two adult aides. The child standing behind Ms. Smith was also struck in the shooting.

"Without saying anything, armed with a large caliber revolver, he opened fire on his wife," San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said at an afternoon press conference.

Cedric Anderson, 53, of Riverside, the disgruntled husband, has been identified as the shooter died on scene of a self-inflicted shot. It is believed he fired seven rounds, emptying the six-shot .357 Magnum, and reloading it once, firing one additional round before inflicting the fatal shot.

Three children, in total, sustained gun related injuries. All three children were evacuated and rushed to Loma Linda Hospital Trauma center. One child died on route. Two other unidentified students were critically injured. One of those two children passed away during the night from injuries sustained.

Anderson, 53, was able to access the campus without incident. Security officials said he followed procedures. His behavior at the first and only checkpoint didn’t raise concerns as he explained to the attendant at the security gate of the School’s campus he was there to drop off something for his wife a teacher. He didn’t appear agitated and gave no hint of his plans.

Married for just three months, the couple had been separated for several weeks and the possibility of ending the marriage was not an option.

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Chief Burguan announced via twitter a large police response had closed the area. More than 150 officers from multiple agencies responded. Officials at the elementary school locked down the building and were ordered to shelter in place until police evacuated students.

Parents hoping to reach their children had an agonizing three hour wait from the time the students were evacuated by grade, lowest to highest, and transported to Cajon High School. San Bernardino PD stayed in constant communication via Twitter alerting parents on procedures necessary for collecting children.

San Bernardino Police believe the school shooting was an isolated incident and believe the only suspect was killed at the scene.

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San Bernardino police also searched the Riverside residence of Mr. Anderson, in a precautionary and evidentiary move, to attempt to determine why he would chose this extreme violent course of action.

The residence of his former wife, Ms. Smith, will also be searched.

The names of the victims have yet to be announced.

San Bernardino Police stress this shooting was domestic related and there is not even a remote possibility of any extremist’s connection to the December 2. 2015 San Bernardino Terrorist Attack.

North Park Elementary will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. All other district school will remain open.

Images obtained via San Bernardino PD Twitter.