Father of library shooting suspect says he saw no warning signs
Bradley Scott Sayer, 18, was arrested after killing two adults and injuring a child at a Chico library; his father said the teen showed no prior signs of violence.
An 18-year-old man identified as Bradley Scott Sayer was taken into custody on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder after a shooting at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library left two adults dead and a child injured. The victims were 74-year-old Robert Johnson of Orland and 46-year-old Jacob Hall of Chico; a juvenile girl accompanying Hall was treated for glass injuries and released from the hospital.
Police said Sayer entered the library, left to retrieve a shotgun from his vehicle, and returned to fire more than eight rounds. He was wearing a white T-shirt marked with the words “Natural Selection,” which investigators linked to a reference to the 1999 Columbine massacre. Two additional firearms, registered to a family member, were found in his car.
Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey indicated that Sayer had been following social-media content related to Columbine-type shootings and described the incident as a “copycat” act. The suspect was booked into the Butte County Jail and is expected to appear in Superior Court on Thursday.
Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge praised the rapid response, noting that the first 911 call was received at 5:12 p.m., officers arrived at 5:14 p.m., and Sayer was detained by 5:16 p.m. FBI Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel confirmed the sequence of events and the reference on the T-shirt.
David Sayer, the suspect’s father, told reporters that his son had recently graduated with honors, was on the autism spectrum, and had shown no anger or violent behavior. He expressed sorrow for the victims and said the last conversation with his son on the day of the shooting was positive.
County officials announced that all library branches would be closed on Tuesday, and security measures will be added before any reopenings. Governor Gavin Newsom and Rep. James Gallagher issued statements expressing condolences and gratitude to first responders.