CA School Shooter Wanted 'Child Executions' In Response To Gaza, Police Say

BUTTE COUNTY, CA — The man who critically wounded two kindergarteners in a school shooting Wednesday had no permanent address and a history of criminal activity and mental illness dating back to his own childhood, authorities said Thursday. Before he carried out the attack, the gunman left a written statement, calling his plan, "child executions" conceived as “countermeasures” to America's role in the war in Gaza, according to law enforcement.

Glenn Litton, 56, opened fire shortly after 1 p.m. at Feather River School of Seventh-day Adventists outside Oroville and was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound minutes later by responding police, according to authorities.

Litton came to the school under the pretense of enrolling his grandson — who does not exist — and carried out the shooting after a meeting with the principal, which he scheduled using the alias Michael Sanders, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said at a press conference streamed on YouTube by ABC10 Thursday afternoon. He had made a similar appointment for Thursday at a Seventh-day Adventist school in Red Bluff, according to Honea.

Elias Wolford, 5, was shot once in the abdomen and Roman Mendez, 6, was shot twice, according to Honea, who said both boys suffered internal injuries and would likely require multiple surgeries.

“They have a very long road ahead of them in terms of recovery,” Honea said. “The people that truly matter during the course of this investigation are the victims”

In a written statement obtained by police, Litton referred to the shootings as “countermeasures.”

“Countermeasures involving child executions has now been imposed at the Seventh-day Adventist school in California, United States, by the International Alliance,” Litton wrote, according to the statement, which was read by Honea at the press conference. “I, Lt. Glenn Litton of the alliance, carried out countermeasures in necessitated response to America’s involvement in genocide and oppression of Palestinians along with attacks towards Yemen.”

Authorities have not been able to verify the existence of any such alliance, according to Honea.

Anyone with information about Litton or his beliefs is asked to call 1-800-225-5324 or visit tips.fbi.gov, according to Sid Patel, special agent in charge of the FBI's Sacramento Field Office.

Despite a long criminal history, Litton had never been convicted of a violent crime, Honea said. However, Litton was not legally allowed to possess a firearm, and the handgun he used in the shooting was a ghost gun made up of various parts, according to Honea. Authorities are working to determine the gun's origins.

Born in Chico, Litton attended a Seventh-day Adventist school in Paradise and may have had a relative attend Feather River School many years ago, Honea said.

Litton had an extensive juvenile criminal record, according to District Attorney Mike Ramsey. He was in and out of prison throughout his adult life and faced charges for forgery, identity theft, theft and growing marijuana, Ramsey said.

He was found in a wig shop buying a disguise in 2002, and authorities discovered he was in possession of leg shackles, handcuffs, walkie-talkies, a bulletproof vest and parts of a Taser, and that he had searched online for guns and explosives, according to Ramsey.

In the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s shooting, Litton stole a U-Haul out of Chico, was arrested with a forged license using his alias, Michael Sanders, in South San Francisco, and was booked into San Bernardino County jail on a burglary warrant, Honea said. After pleading not guilty and being released on recognizance, a relative took him back to Northern California, according to Honea. Litton spent the night before the shooting in a Motel 6 in Chico, Honea said.

A candlelight vigil is set for 5 p.m. Friday at the Christmas tree in Oroville and a fundraiser for the victims will be held 5:30 p.m. Monday night at Oroville’s South Side Community Center.