Two young boys were critically injured in a shooting at a Christian school in Northern California, in what authorities say was an act of revenge for the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The incident occurred on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, California14.
Roman Mendez, 6, and Elias Wolford, 5, were playing on the school playground when they were shot by the assailant4. Both children sustained serious injuries and remain in critical but stable condition. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea stated that the boys “have a very long road ahead in terms of recovery” and will likely require multiple surgeries6.
The gunman was identified as Glenn Litton, a 56-year-old man with a history of mental illness and a lengthy criminal record47. Litton gained access to the school by using a false identity and pretending to be interested in enrolling a fictitious grandson1. After a tour of the facilities, Litton proceeded to the playground where he opened fire on the children before taking his own life4.
Investigators discovered a note left by Litton, which revealed his disturbing motive. The note claimed that the shooting was a “countermeasure involving child executions” in response to “America’s involvement with genocide and oppression of Palestinians along with attacks towards Yemen”4. Sheriff Honea emphasized that Litton’s beliefs were likely a result of his mental health issues, stating that he had “pulled information from various sources and it all pulled together to form a reality that is false”7.
While Litton had previously attended a Seventh-Day Adventist school as a young man, there was no current connection between him and the targeted school4. The shooter had apparently explored other Seventh-Day Adventist schools as potential targets, but his reasons for focusing on this religious group remain unclear4.
The shooting has deeply affected the Oroville community. Oroville city council member Shawn Webber expressed the community’s shock, stating, “When you see these events on the news, you think they don’t happen here. But yesterday, it occurred here. It has profoundly disrupted the peace of our community”3.
In response to the incident, all schools run by the Northern California Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church were closed on Thursday, December 55.
Law enforcement agencies, including local police, the California Highway Patrol, and the FBI, are continuing to investigate the incident8. They are working to determine if there is any validity to Litton’s claim of being part of an “International Alliance,” though investigators have found no evidence of such an organization’s existence4.
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the far-reaching impacts of global conflicts and the importance of mental health awareness and intervention. As the community grapples with this senseless act of violence, the focus remains on the recovery of the two young victims and supporting their families through this difficult time.
