The Washington school shooting has been added to the long list of mass violence in the United States. At around 10:30 Friday, a 911 caller reported a shooting at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School. The suspect was identified as 14-year old Jaylen Fryberg, a freshman from the same school. The gunman killed a female student and injured four others before shooting himself, according to reports.
No one expected the Washington school shooting. Moreover, nobody expected it to be done by someone who appeared nice and popular at the school. Schoolmates of the suspect thought he was a nice guy who is not capable of inflicting harm to other people.
"He seemed like a normal kid," Madison White, 16, a junior, told NBC News. Erick Cervantes, 16, a junior, told NBC News: "He seemed like a nice guy, and he had lots of friends."
"He was not a violent person," Shaylee Bass, a 15-year-old sophomore told People.com. "His family is known all around town. He was very well known. That's what makes it so bizarre."
"When I saw him, I was like, 'Oh my God, that's Jaylen.' I would have never expected it would have been him, out of all people," said Racheil Heichel who was sitting about 60 feet where Fryberg started firing.
According to reports, Washington school shooting suspect Fryberg, who is also popular in the school because of his football talent, is related to 14-year-old Nate Hatch and 15-year-old Andrew Fryberg, two of the four injured victims who are now being treated in the hospital. Reports also say that he specifically targeted his two cousins and another student that was with them during the shooting.
"My grandson and the shooter were best friends," said the boy's grandfather, Donald Hatch. "They grew up together and did everything together."
"All three of them are cousins, and they live right close to each other," Don Hatch told CNN affiliate KOMO.
The Washington school shooting tragedy has left both students and parents in deep mourning for the loss of one of their friends. Hundreds of people attended a church vigil Friday night to remember the victim. Classes have also been canceled for next week.
