Northern California School Shooter identified as Man With Long Criminal History, Sheriff Reports. Authorities said the 56-year-old man who was suspected of shooting two kindergarten pupils in Northern California on Wednesday has a long history of mental health issues and criminal activity.
The suspect was identified by Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea on Thursday as Glenn Litton, a homeless man who has lived in both the Chico and Sacramento areas. According to Honea, Litton died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he opened fire on the school.
Many years ago, Litton also went to an Adventist school in the adjacent town of Paradise.
Gunman’s criminal history
Litton’s criminal past extends from his early adolescence until the 1990s.
According to Honea, he was also convicted of a variety of other offenses in the 1990s and early 2000s, including theft, fraud, and forgery. Since his conviction in 2003 on charges of fraud and forgery, Litton has not been in contact with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, Litton has a history of traffic infractions and juvenile offenses.
He was charged with petty theft and marijuana cultivation as an adult, which led to felony offenses, according to Ramsey. In 1991, he was sentenced to his first prison term.
According to Ramsey, Litton used the identities of a number of Butte County individuals to charge thousands of dollars on credit cards for entertainment, food, and rent in 2002.
According to Ramsey, Litton was seen purchasing a disguise at a nearby wig store when he was taken into custody in 2002. According to Ramsey, when police searched his car, they discovered walkie-talkies and handcuffs.
According to Ramsey, when they searched his house at the time, they discovered components for a stun gun and a bulletproof vest. Additionally, they looked through his computer and discovered that Litton had looked for explosives and firearms. There was no specific target, but Litton may have been using explosives to organize a mass catastrophe, according to notes on his computer, Ramsey said.
Honea also confirmed other crimes that Litton was suspected of this year. In March, Litton allegedly stole money from a CVS in Phoniex where he had just been hired, Honea said.
On Nov. 12, Honea said the Chico Police Department received a report that a U-Haul truck was reported stolen. Litton was then identified as a suspect and was later arrested in South San Francisco in the stolen pickup truck.
Honea said Litton had a forged license under the name Michael Sanders. He was later booked into the San Mateo Jail before he was transferred to the San Bernadino County Jail for an outstanding burglary warrant. Honea said Litton pled not guilty in San Bernardino and was released from jail on Nov. 21.
A family member picked Litton up and brought him to Sacramento. From there, Honea said Litton took a bus to the Chico area where he stayed at various motels in the area.
A family member picked Litton up and brought him to Sacramento. From there, Honea said Litton took a bus to the Chico area where he stayed at various motels in the area.
Events leading up to Wednesday’s school shooting
According to Honea, Litton was in Chico early on Wednesday morning at a Motel 6. Then, carrying a big duffle bag, he boarded a bus and reached Oroville at about 8:30 a.m.
Around 10:45 a.m., Litton bought an energy drink at a Raley’s in Oroville.
According to Honea, Litton made a fictitious Uber request almost an hour later. He was dropped off at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists at approximately 12:10 p.m. by the Uber driver, who had arrived just before noon.
According to Honea, Litton had called the school a few days prior to schedule a meeting to talk about enrolling his grandson.
Litton spoke with the principal of the school while posing as someone else, using a phony driver’s license that resembled the one he used to get arrested in San Francisco. According to Honea, Litton also had a tour planned for Thursday at the Red Bluff Seventh-Day Adventist School using the same fictitious identity.
According to Honea, Litton allegedly attempted to enroll a nonexistent grandson while at the school on Wednesday.
According to Honea, the narrative was a hoax because it seemed like a means of entering the university.
Litton left as though he was leaving the campus after his discussion with the principal. However, according to Honea, he turned and headed back toward the playground, where the pupils were returning to class following a midday break.
Security cameras recorded Litton putting his hand in his waistband, where Honea thinks he concealed a weapon, just before the incident.
Honea claimed that after that, Litton took out the gun and started shooting, wounding two kids.
After hearing the gunshots, the principal located the two wounded kids and started helping them.
Then Litton shot himself to death. Litton was initially found by a member of the California Highway Patrol. Near him, the officer also discovered a firearm.
The gun seems to be a phantom gun, Honea stated on Thursday.
Was there a motive for the attack?
According to Honea, authorities think the shooting on Wednesday was a lone incident because of Litton’s beliefs.
According to Honea, Litton made mention to a “International Alliance” in a written declaration that was collected by police.
According to Honea, the sheriff’s office, in collaboration with the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has not yet been able to locate any operating organization bearing that name.
Litton described himself as a “lieutenant” in the group in the statement.
Honea stated that Litton suffered from “some significant mental health issues and it appears that he pulled information from various sources and it all came together in his mind to form a reality that is perhaps false.”
During the news conference on Thursday, Honea showed a slide show of the purported remark Litton made, but he did not say where officials got it. The text of the statement is:
Students’ latest condition
Roman Mendez, age six, and Elias Wolford, age five, were identified as the students who were shot. As of Thursday night, they are still in serious condition, according to Honea.
