Sheriff: Deputies Responded to CA School Shooting in 2 Minutes

A deadly school shooting in Santa Clarita, CA, Thursday morning prompted a massive response by law enforcement to the campus, according to officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, KTLA reports. The first units arrived within two minutes and encountered six patients with gunshot wounds in the school’s quad, said L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.

A 16-year-old male suspect was taken into custody and was in the hospital in "grave condition" from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after opening fire on students in the quad of Saugus High School at 7:38 a.m., authorities said.

Law enforcement combed the area for the gunman. Eventually, they realized the suspect was among the students who had been taken to local hospitals after interviewing witnesses and combing through video, one of which apparently showed the incident unfold.

According to ABC News , a 14-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl were killed in the attack. A 14-year-old girl, a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were wounded in the hail of gunfire.

Captain Kent Wegener of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that the gunman drew a firearm from his backpack and began to open fire on students nearby. He then turned the gun on himself, suffering a gunshot wound to the head.