1 Dead, 3 Injured in Shooting at California High School Graduation Ceremony

A graduation ceremony in Northern California turned deadly Wednesday evening when gunfire broke out in a school parking lot, killing a teenager and wounding three others, including a child.

The shooting took place at approximately 7:15 p.m. local time in the parking lot of Fairfield High School, after a ceremony had ended for graduates of Sem Yeto High School. An 18-year-old died from injuries sustained in the shooting, while an 11-year-old, a 20-year-old, and a 25-year-old were hospitalized with wounds.

It is not clear whether the 18-year-old who died was among the graduating students. No arrests had been announced as of Thursday morning, and authorities had not publicly identified any suspects.

What Witnesses Saw

A man who attended the ceremony told local outlet KCRA that shots were fired as families were taking photographs in the school parking lot after the ceremony concluded.

A neighbor who lives near the school, Amanda Prieto, said she was on the phone in her backyard when she heard the gunshots. "I looked over the fence and people were just screaming and running through the parking lot. It was horrific," she said. Her 17-year-old son is a student at the school. Her husband, Luis, said emergency services responded quickly, with patrol vehicles and ambulances arriving on site shortly after the shooting.

What Police Said

Fairfield Police Department officer Michelle Belyea addressed reporters at a news conference following the incident.

"It's a very scary incident when something like this does happen, especially during the end of a school event," Belyea said. "So, obviously, we just want everyone to be safe."

Belyea added that no suspect information was available at the time. Police stated there is no ongoing threat to the surrounding community.

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District also issued a statement: "Our thoughts are with the individuals affected and as soon as we have more details we will share that with you."

Fairfield is located approximately 50 miles northeast of San Francisco. The investigation remained active as of Thursday, with police indicating further updates would be provided.

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