A gunman opened fire at a public library in Chico on Monday evening, killing two people and injuring a child before police arrived and arrested him within minutes of the first 911 calls.
Dispatchers received multiple emergency calls starting at 5:12 p.m. reporting an active shooter inside the Chico branch of the Butte County Library. "We had an open 911 line and you could hear gunshots and people screaming," Police Chief Billy Aldridge said during a press conference.
Officers reached the scene six minutes after the initial reports and entered the building as the suspect fled through the back exit. He was taken into custody without incident, according to the Chico Police Department.
Video from a bystander on a nearby bus captured officers positioned outside the library entrance and running toward the building with long guns. The suspect was identified as Bradley Scott Sayer, a Chico resident. Police found no indication that Sayer had any prior connection to the victims.
The incident marks another outbreak of gun violence in Butte County, which experienced multiple shooting incidents in recent years. In 2024, a shooter wounded two kindergarteners at an elementary school, and in 2022, a gunman opened fire on a Greyhound bus, killing one woman and injuring four others.
Chico is a college town of approximately 107,000 people located about 90 miles north of Sacramento. The library remained the scene of an active investigation as detectives worked with support from local, state and federal agencies. The FBI has offered assistance, Aldridge said.
All branches of the Butte County Library system closed on Tuesday following the shooting. "We are aware of the tragic incident that occurred at the Chico Branch of the Butte County Library and extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected, including the victims, their loved ones, library staff, and all those impacted by this heartbreaking incident," the library announced in a statement.
State Senator Megan Dahle, who represents the district, called the shooting "stunning and heartbreaking." She described the library as a sanctuary for families and said such violence should never occur "at this place of wholesome joy."
Author James Rodriguez: "Another public space, another body count, another community asking why their library wasn't safe."
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