Washington State news outlets are reporting that shots were fired inside a high school outside Seattle late Friday morning. KIRO in Seattle reported that around 10:45 am Pacific time, 911 calls and tweets started rolling in about a shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington:
shooting at mp
— ƙąɬıɛ (@___katiie) October 24, 2014
Shots just fired at mp
— Mr. Wolff (@CrocManKyle) October 24, 2014
DONT GO TOWARDS THE CAFETERIA
— Miguel Rocha (@Miguel_Rocha34) October 24, 2014
Aerial footage on KIRO shows emergency vehicles massed outside the school, while students are being led away from the building in an all-too-familiar procession. A caller to KIRO said her son relayed that a male shooter opened fire near the cafeteria.
The Seattle Times is reporting that seven people are injured, and the gunman is dead of a self-inflicted wound. CBS News says that three people are at a local hospital with gunshot wounds, and one more is expected. Police have not confirmed any information about the shooting.
In less than two weeks, Washington state will vote whether to implement universal background checks on weapons sales. Outside groups have spent millions of dollars to influence voters to either pass or reject a background check system very similar to what failed in the Senate early last year.
UPDATE, 3:27 pm Eastern: KIRO has confirmed four injuries in the shootings. The Seattle Times is further reporting that one person besides the shooter has died.
UPDATE, 4:07 pm Eastern: Local police confirmed that two people have died, and one is the shooter. The spokesman would not say if the other person was a student.
George ZornickTwitterGeorge Zornick is The Nation's former Washington editor.