The mentally ill gunman who shot and killed two kindergarteners at a small California school on Wednesday said he would deploy “countermeasures, including child executions,” in response to “America's involvement in the genocide and oppression of the Palestinian people.” While doing so, I left behind a distorted memo.
The gunman who opened fire on the grounds of the Seventh-day Adventist Feather River School and then turned the gun on himself was identified Thursday as Glenn Litton, a 56-year-old homeless man who had been released from prison just two days before the shooting. Identified. , according to police.
Butte County officials said at a news conference Thursday that Litton, who was pronounced dead at the Oroville school, had mental health issues, alarming criminal behavior and a long history of prison time.
Police believe his deranged writings (in which he referred to himself as a lieutenant of the “International Alliance”) resulted from his compromised mental state.
“Currently, countermeasures involving child executions are being imposed by the United Nations at Seventh-day Adventist schools in California, USA,” he wrote in a disturbing memo recovered by investigators.
“I, Lt. Glenn Litton of the Alliance, carried out countermeasures as a necessary response to America's involvement in the genocide and oppression of the Palestinian people with the attack on Yemen.”
Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea characterized these texts as delusions stemming from mental illness, saying they “draw information from a variety of sources and it all comes together in your head to create a false reality.” I created it,” he said.
Litton, who attended another Seventh-day Adventist school as a child, seriously injured two boys, ages 5 and 6, who attended the school, which had only 35 students.
A few days before the attack, the suspect had scheduled a meeting with the principal of Feather River School and arrived on Wednesday, using a false name, under false pretense that his grandchild would be admitted to the school.
But police say he had no grandchildren and burst onto the school grounds shortly after the meeting, opening fire on students as they returned to class.
Butte County officials said Litton had been in and out of prison since he was a boy.
The bulk of his record consisted of burglary cases, identity theft, and several drug charges.
But in an alarming incident in 2002, he was arrested wearing a disguise, bulletproof vest, shackles and a walkie-talkie, and an Internet search revealed that he was carrying guns and explosives. It was suggested that they were planning some type of mass violent attack.
The following year, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for 12 counts of forgery, identity theft, and theft, but was released three years later in 2006.
His criminal activities and prison time continued for several years, and on November 12, he was arrested for stealing a truck near San Francisco and booked into the San Mateo County Jail.
He was released on his own recognizance from the San Bernardino Jail after pleading not guilty to a separate robbery charge on Nov. 21 and headed to the Oroville area before carrying out the shooting on Dec. 4.
Police said the weapon used by the suspect in the attack appears to be a “ghost gun” made from various parts.
Police said he considered attacking other Seventh-day Adventist strongholds, but for unknown reasons he ultimately settled on the Feather River school.
The two boys injured in the attack were identified as kindergarteners named Elias and Roman.
Five-year-old Elias was shot in the chest and abdomen and is in serious but stable condition.
“The bullet penetrated his chest and abdomen, impaling and injuring multiple organs before exiting,” wrote Monte and Debbie Wolford, the grandparents of little Elias. .
“He was airlifted to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to stop the bleeding.”
“He is currently sedated and on a ventilator in the PICU, awaiting further surgery,” they added.
Six-year-old Roman, who has a twin brother, was also bruised and is in serious but stable condition, according to his sister Vanessa. “He's showing incredible strength,” the boy wrote on Facebook.
“His recent surgery was successful, but there is still a long way to go and his recovery will be difficult. We are grateful to the amazing medical team who are working tirelessly to help him heal.” she added.
Sheriff Honea called it a “miracle” that the boys were alive.
“They have a very long road ahead of them. They will likely need multiple surgeries. The fact that they are still with us is a miracle in itself.”
