Sem Yeto High graduation shooting update: Witnesses describe chaos as 1 dead, 3 injured, ‘People were just screaming…’
One person died and three others were injured in a shooting during a graduation ceremony at Fairfield High School’s Schafer Stadium, police said, per KCRA 3. Witnesses have now spoken out about their terrifying experience.
The Fairfield Police Department said that officers responded to a shooting at the parking lot at Fairfield High around 7:15 pm, where a graduation ceremony took place for Sem Yeto High School. A suspect has yet to be identified.
Witnesses speak out
Luis and Amanda Prieto, a couple who live next to the school, told KCRA 3 that they heard shots being fired. Amanda said that she was on the phone in her backyard when she heard the shots.
“It dawned on me quickly how close that rapid fire was,” Amanda said. “I looked over the fence and people were just screaming and running through the parking lot. It was horrific.”
Luis said that police responded quickly, with service patrol vehicles appearing on the sceen, There were ambulances too, he said.
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“I was immediately terrified, this was the third shooting I’ve witnessed at this school in the last three years,” Amanda said. “I was just immediately terrified. These kids can’t even graduate.”
Amanda’s son, 17, attends Fairfield High.
“My husband was like ‘Do we need to pull him out of this school?,'” she said. “Because there was another shooting at the beginning of the school year as school was letting out and he witnessed as he was walking through the parking lot and it’s terrifying.”
Ryan Murphy was trying to find family members when he heard gunfire nearby.
“Seeing the glass shatter from the windshield of the car that got hit and I’m just like ‘woah,'” Murphy said. “I stood frozen for a second. All I seen was some people started running past the car that was hit.”
Robert Dorsey, a 17-year-old graduate, saw some of the victims who were hurt.
“Last thing I saw was just him getting CPR and I just got out of there,” he said. “I didn’t witness all four people getting shot, but I did see a little girl get carried out.”
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Ilana Israel Samuels, executive director of communications for the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, said the district was aware of the shooting, according to ABC 10.
“We are aware that there was a shooting after the Sem Yeto High School graduation ceremonies had ended, and are gathering details,” Samuels said in a statement. “Law enforcement is on campus, and as this is an active investigation, we have no additional information to share at this time. Our thoughts are with the individuals affected and as soon as we have more details we will share that with you.”
The investigation is active. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Fairfield Police Department at 707-428-7300.