Student,
administrator shot and wounded at school
in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO
(AP) -- A young man with a shotgun took
an administrator hostage at a high school
Wednesday and was shot by police who found
the two struggling over the weapon.
Mario
Rodriguez, 19, was in serious condition
after being shot in the shoulder, authorities
said.
The
Rio Cazadero High administrator, whose name
was not released, was in good condition
with a leg injury. Though police initially
said he was shot, either by police or the
gunman, sheriff's Sgt. Lou Fatur said the
administrator may have injured his leg in
a struggle with Rodriguez.
Rodriguez
was armed with a loaded 12-gauge shotgun
and a realistic-looking replica handgun
when he came onto the campus just before
9 a.m., Fatur said. He said it was unclear
if Rodriguez was a student at the school.
''We
do know that the young man had a recent
breakup with a girlfriend ... and we believe
he was going there to make a statement,
possibly to commit suicide,'' Fatur said.
The
deputy and two police officers who responded
to school employees' 911 calls ''absolutely
prevented what could have been just mayhem,''
Fatur said.
Rodriguez
was shot after police came upon him struggling
over the shotgun with the administrator
in a classroom doorway, Fatur said. It was
unclear if students were in the classroom,
he said.
The
two officers opened fire, and both Rodriguez
and the administrator fell to the floor,
Fatur said. He said Rodriguez reached for
the shotgun and rose, and was shot at again
by the officers and by the deputy. Rodriguez
was hit twice in the upper body, Fatur said.
Police
had posted extra patrols at area high schools
Tuesday, after a 15-year-old was shot to
death near C.K. McClatchy High in front
of dozens of other students who had just
finished classes.
Though
police initially feared Rodriguez was attempting
to retaliate, Police Chief Albert Najera
said there appeared to be no connection.
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