Shooting At Ridgway High In Santa Rosa: Suspect Arrested

SANTA ROSA, CA — A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in a shooting Tuesday morning at Ridgway High School in Santa Rosa that left a fellow student injured, police said. A search was continuing Tuesday evening for the gun, according to an update from police.

Authorities called for the lock down of both Ridgway and Santa Rosa high schools, as well as Santa Rosa Junior College, shortly after the 8:56 a.m. shooting, but lifted the lockdowns around 11:30 a.m. after the suspect was in custody and with no indication the weapon was still on campus, police said.

The suspect and victim — a 16-year-old boy — are both students at the continuation high school and their names will not be released by authorities because of their ages and the "violent nature of the crime," according to Santa Rosa police Capt. John Cregan.

Investigators are still looking into whether the "impromptu" incident may have been gang-related, Cregan said.

Police dispatchers received numerous 911 calls about the shooting, and witnesses told officers the two students were in a verbal altercation in front of the school when the suspect pulled a handgun from the backpack he was carrying and fired at least two rounds at the victim, Cregan said.

"The suspect was standing on the school campus at the time of the shooting, and the victim was standing in the roadway on Ridgeway Avenue," Cregan said. "The victim was shot twice in the upper torso and fell to the ground following the shooting."

The victim ran to a nearby car and was taken by a friend to a local hospital. He was still in stable medical condition early Tuesday evening, according to police.

Based on witness statements and surveillance footage, police believe the suspected shooter — described as a Hispanic male juvenile wearing dark clothing and holding a black and gray backpack — concealed the firearm in his backpack following the shooting.

The backpack was then placed inside a nearby car and "an unknown driver fled the area with the backpack and firearm," Cregan said. "Detectives are actively working to identify the driver and are attempting to locate the outstanding firearm."

"We know this is a very unnerving and traumatic incident and we're working with the California Highway Patrol and Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. Finding the gun is our priority," Cregan said.

The captain noted that officers, again through interviewing witnesses and reviewing video surveillance, were able to determine the suspect walked into a classroom at Ridgway High immediately following the shooting.

"A team of officers coordinated with the school officials and the officers safely entered the classroom and took the suspect into custody,"Cregan said. "The school lockdown was lifted at approximately 11:30 a.m."

Police say the 17-year-old suspect has since been booked into the Sonoma County Juvenile Justice Center.

Immediately following the shooting, a school resource officer who was on the campus of nearby Santa Rosa High School quickly ran over to the Ridgewy High School campus to investigate, according to SRPD.

Dozens of other officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Officet, California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire and the Santa Rosa Junior College Police Department soon arrived and help secure the school campus, SRPD noted.

According to SRPD:

"The Santa Rosa Police Department works closely with the Santa Rosa School District to prepare for incidents such as this. The school staff worked quickly to lock down the campuses of Ridgway High School and Santa Rosa High School. Their prompt action minimized the risk to other students and helped to quickly bring order to the chaotic scene.

"The investigation has shown this was an isolated incident of violence following a verbal altercation between two students. There is no evidence to suggest the suspect planned any other acts of violence against additional students on the school campus.

"We encourage anyone who witnessed the incident to call the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Violent Crimes Team at 707-543-4040 or email the police department as srpdinfo@srcity.org."

PREVIOUS REPORT: "There has been a shooting at Ridgway High School," Santa Rosa police said in an initial statement at 9:11 a.m. Tuesday. "The suspect is still outstanding at this time. ... Santa Rosa Police have responded. Please stand by for further information."

There is one confirmed victim in the shooting: a 16-year-old boy who is being treated for a gunshot wound to his abdomen and was listed in stable condition at a local hospital, Capt. John Cregan of the Santa Rosa Police Department told reporters. The victim's parent have been notified of his condition, Cregan said.

Police said in an update that the shooting was "isolated" and happened "just outside" of the campus at 325 Ridgway Ave. There was never an "active shooter" on the campus, Cregan said.

Cregan confirmed multiple witnesses saw a suspect go onto the campus after the shooting, and that a suspect has been detained and was being interviewed by detectives.

The lockdowns were to remain in effect until the gun used in the shooting was found, the captain said. At 11:33 a.m., however, Santa Rosa police said via Twitter that the lockdowns at Ridgway and Santa Rosa high schools, as well as SRJC, had been lifted.

"Police conducted a thorough sweep of the campuses," SRPD said via Twitter. "There is no evidence that the weapon is on campus. The suspect is in custody and there is no threat. Students will remain on campus and continue with their regular schedule."

All school lockdowns lifted. Police conducted a thorough sweep of the campuses. There is no evidence that the weapon is on campus. The suspect is in custody & there is no threat. Students will remain on-campus & continue with their regular schedule. #ridgewayshooting
— Santa Rosa Police (@SantaRosaPolice) October" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/SantaRosaP... 22, 2019

"No further reports of violence on the school campus," according to an earlier report from police. "Santa Rosa Police are actively searching for the lone shooter," SRPD said at 9:57 a.m.

Photos from the scene showed armed police officers going to door to door, searching the campus that is within close proximity of Santa Rosa High School and Santa Rosa Junior College.

Parents of students at the school were instructed to go to a Parent Information Center set up at the Jockey Club, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, just east of Brookwood Avenue. Santa Rosa police said at 11:51 a.m. that the parent information center has since been closed.

SRJC earlier told its students that "an individual with a gun/weapon has been reported in the Ridgway Ave area, south of the Santa Rosa Campus. Avoid the area. We are locking down the campus."

SRJC instructed its students to "find a safe location out of sight, away from windows, and barricade yourself behind secured doors. Remain quiet. Listen for and follow the instructions of emergency personnel."

Those not on campus should not return to campus, SRJC said in an alert.

"If you need immediate help, dial (707) 527-1000," SRJC said. "Do not contact District Police unless you have specific information regarding the individual; current location, description, etc."

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