Taft High School Shooting: 2 Shot In Kern County, California; Alleged Shooter In Police Custody [REPORT]

By Howard Koplowitz | January 10 2013 12:54 PM

At least two people were shot at Taft Union High School in Kern County, Calif., on Thursday morning, and authorities said that they have the suspected shooter in custody, according to local media reports.

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“TAFT HIGH UPDATE: Officials say at least 2 shot; shooter now in police custody,” KABC in Los Angeles tweeted around 9:32 a.m. local time.

The television station initially said that one person had been shot at the high school. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. and the suspect was arrested about 20 minutes later, a blog for the Los Angeles Times said. Additional details were sketchy, and it was unclear whether the two victims were students.

Several Twitter users commented on the latest school shooting, which occurred less than a month after Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

The Newtown shooting has spurred calls for harsher gun-control legislation, including the reinstatement of the now-expired federal assault weapons ban. Lanza used an assault weapon during the attack, which ended after he shot himself.

“JESUS CHRIST. There's been a school shooting in Kern County. How much longer will we let this go on in America?” said Twitter user @silver_locusts.

“Another school shooting in Kern County CA - this will not stop so now what?” added Judy Golden.

“Sad to read abt [sic] the shootings in Kern County in California,” opined Kamla Bhatt.

Taft is about 40 miles southwest of Bakersfield.