Washington School Shooting Victims 'Critical'

Gunman Jaylen Fryberg.

Three teenagers remain in a "critical" condition a day after suffering severe head injuries in a school shooting in Washington state.

Shaylee Chucklenaskit and Gia Soriano, both 14, require "constant bedside monitoring" after undergoing emergency surgery, said Dr Joanne Roberts, the chief medical officer at Providence Regional Medical Center.

"The next two to three days will be crucial" to their recovery, she said.

They were among four students wounded in the shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, about 35 miles north of Seattle.

"Our family is in shock," the Sorianos said in a statement read by Dr Roberts at a news conference on Saturday.

"We appreciate your thoughts and your prayers in this tragedy. Our hearts go out to the other victims and their families."

The gunman, identified as 14-year-old Jaylen Fryberg, opened fire with a .40-calibre handgun inside the school cafeteria on Friday, shooting the students at close range before killing himself.

An unidentified teenage girl was killed in the attack.

Three of the four wounded suffered head injuries, including 15-year-old Andrew Fryberg, the gunman's cousin. He is also in a critical condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The fourth victim, 14-year-old Nate Hatch, also Fryberg's cousin, was shot in the jaw and is in a serious condition at Harborview.

The gunman's motives remain unclear, but some students hinted at a recent row over a girl as a possible lead-up to the attack.

Fryberg, who students described as popular and athletic, recently appeared to mention some unspecified troubles on his Twitter feed.

In August, he issued a threat to an apparent love rival, saying: "Your not gonna like what happens next."

On 18 September he wrote: "Did you forget she was my girlfriend?" and later tweeted: "Dude. She tells me everything. And now. I... hate you! Your no longer my brother."

On Tuesday, one of a series of tweets said: "It breaks me... It actually does... I know it seems like I'm sweating it off... But I'm not.. And I never will be able to."

In his last post on Thursday, Fryberg stated: "It won't last... It'll never last..."

Witnesses said Fryberg calmly walked into the school cafeteria, pulled a handgun out of a backpack and began firing.

"No arguing, no yelling," said Brian Patrick, whose daughter was just 10ft (3m) from where Fryberg stood as he pulled the trigger.

Some reports have suggested that a school employee rushed toward Fryberg and attempted to grab his arm just before he turned the gun on himself.

A candlelit vigil was held on Friday night for the victims of the shooting at a nearby church.

Pastor Nik Baumgart told the crowd there was no script for reacting to the tragic event.

"One moment we're thinking, we can do this," Mr Baumgart said. "Another moment, we're thinking, how can we do this?"

Source:

http://news.sky.com/story/1360382/washington-school-shooting-victims-critical

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