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2 dead, 4 wounded after shooting at Washington state high school

Posted at 2:32 PM, Oct 24, 2014
and last updated 2014-10-24 17:27:59-04

The gunman who opened fire Friday at Washington state's Marysville-Pilchuck High School has been identified as freshman Jaylen Fryberg, fellow students, including eyewitnesses, told CNN.

Fryberg was announced as the high school's freshman homecoming king on October 17, according to YouTube video of the ceremony and accounts from students to CNN.

Fryberg's multiple social media accounts depict him frequently hunting, and using rifles. His social media accounts say he was a Native American and a member of the Tulalip tribe.

A student at Washington state's Marysville-Pilchuck High School walked into the school's cafeteria, went up to a table with students, "came up from behind ... and fired about six bullets into the backs of them," witness Jordan Luton told CNN. "They were his friends, so it wasn't just random," Luton said.

Click to read more on this story from KCPQ in Seattle.

The gunman who opened fire Friday morning at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, just north of Seattle, shot five people, killing one, before turning the gun on himself, law enforcement officials told CNN.

Authorities "are confident that there is only one single shooter," Marysville police spokesman Robb Lamoureux told reporters.

The shooter -- a student at the school -- and another person are dead, he said.

Click to read more on this story from KCPQ in Seattle.

Two federal law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that four people have been wounded. Three were critical and one was in serious condition, they said.

Three people were in surgery at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, and one person was being transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, hospital spokeswoman Erin Al-Wazan said.

Another federal law enforcement official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities first learned about the shooting after getting a 911 phone call around 10:30 a.m. (1:30 p.m. ET) from someone inside the school, Lamoureux said.

"The Marysville-Pilchuck High School is currently in lockdown due to an emergency situation," the school district said in a statement.

"Police and emergency services have responded. The Marysville School District lock down procedures will remain in effect at Pilchuck until further notice from law enforcement."

A student locked down inside a classroom told CNN by phone that the shooting began in the cafeteria.

The student, whose name is being withheld, said when the shooting began students initially thought it was a fire drill until teachers told everyone to run into classrooms because there was a shooting.

At least one person has been airlifted, according to the student.

The student said she was hiding in a classroom with other students, all of whom are unharmed.

A student who says he was in the cafeteria when the shooting began told CNN he called the police, and then gave his phone to a teacher.

The student described a chaotic and bloody scene, saying blood was "everywhere."

He claimed to know the shooter, describing the gunman as a popular student who recently had been the victim of bullying.

Medeana Johnson, mother of a boy who is a junior at the school, told CNN affiliate KIRO-TV that her son said a boy opened fire near the cafeteria. She said her son told her he was supposed to be in the cafeteria but stopped to chat with someone and so didn't go in.

Everette Public Schools released this statement:

We have learned today that Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville is the site of a tragic school shooting.

Students in all of Everett Public Schools are safe. As our students learn of the Marysville incident, they will need our support and reassurance. Each of us in the school district is prepared to support each of our students and our families dealing with this news.