Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood, along with Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Taft Police Chief Edward Whiting, held a news conference earlier Thursday afternoon, updating the community on the shooting at Taft High School in which two people were injured.
Sheriff Youngblood detailed the heroics of a science teacher and a campus supervisor who were able to detain the shooter and talk to him until he put the gun down Thursday morning. Youngblood says the student, a 16-year-old boy, walked into the first period class at Taft High School, halfway through class, with a 12 gauge shotgun and multiple rounds. He shot one student, then tried to shoot another before the teacher intervened. Police arrived shortly afterward and took the student into custody. The student who was shot was taken to Kern Medical Center and is said to be in critical but stable condition. The teacher who was able to talk the student down was also hurt but only sustained minor injuries.
