Suspects in Skyline High School shooting had ‘ghost guns,’ police say

At a information convention as we speak, Oakland police supplied new particulars a couple of Nov. 12 capturing at Skyline Excessive Faculty. As a result of incident, the varsity went into lockdown for the third time this faculty yr.

OPD Assistant Chief James Beere stated the 15-year-old capturing sufferer is recovering and “in good spirits.” He stated officers arrived on campus inside two minutes and have been in a position to present him with life-saving medical care till paramedics arrived.

Two suspects have been arrested within the capturing and charged by the Alameda County district legal professional, Beere stated, and each stay in custody. He stated each suspects had firearms and that each weapons have been alleged ghost gunsuntraceable weapons assembled from kits or unfinished elements. An OPD spokesperson later confirmed that each suspects are minors themselves.

When requested concerning the nature of the costs, the district legal professional’s workplace referred us to the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Heart, which didn’t instantly reply to an inquiry.

“I wish to take a second to acknowledge the sturdy coordination between Skyline Excessive Faculty employees and our officers,” Beere stated. “The fast coordination and collaboration ensured security for all college students on campus, permitting our officers to reply shortly and successfully.”

Rebecca Huang, Skyline’s principal, despatched a message to the varsity neighborhood on Thursday, the day after the capturing, saying, “We stay vigilant and dedicated to working collectively to make Skyline a spot the place each scholar feels protected, supported and related. We proceed to work with the district to determine and implement further measures that can additional enhance campus security,” together with upgrading safety cameras and increasing the varsity’s safety group.

She has invited Skyline households to a metropolis assembly subsequent week with faculty leaders, faculty district officers and OPD officers to debate their considerations.

Wednesday’s lockdown was the third of the varsity yr for college kids at Skyline, a big public highschool within the hills of Oakland. On September 26, college students have been despatched to a safe protocol when OPD responded to a report of a scholar on campus with a firearm; that report was decided to be false. Then, on Nov. 4, the scholars have been positioned in safe protocol for a second time as a result of, Skyline stated, the varsity’s safety group was making an attempt to take away “an upset father or mother on campus.”

Skyline has skilled a variety of violent incidents lately, together with a stabbing injured a student in 2022A shooting in 2023 with no obvious victims, and a capturing after commencement in 2024 that injured three folks.

In accordance with an e mail from the Oakland Unified Faculty District, college students from Skyline and 9 different excessive faculties have been on a area journey to Laney School when Laney’s athletic director, John Beam, was shot yesterday, forcing the scholars current into a brand new lockdown.

“As quickly as they realized of the closure, OUSD counselors moved our college students to a protected location the place they might shelter in place,” the e-mail stated. “The closure lasted roughly 45 minutes earlier than the Oakland Police Division licensed it.”

Denise Saddler, OUSD’s interim superintendent, launched a press release as we speak mourning the lack of Beam, saying, “As we proceed to research the incident at Skyline, we’re on the lookout for methods to enhance our safety protocols. On the similar time, we’re offering behavioral well being assist to Skyline’s college students and employees. This has been a tough time for the varsity neighborhood and we stand prepared to supply any help they want.”

“Lastly,” she added, “I’d be remiss if I did not say this: As a neighborhood and as a rustic, we have to get a deal with on gun violence as soon as and for all. We have to make it tougher to get weapons, and tougher to decide on to make use of weapons.”

She pledged to work with leaders on the native, state and federal ranges to make sure correct gun legal guidelines are handed.

It is a growth story. Verify again for updates.