Chico Library Shooting: 2 Dead, 18-Year-Old Suspect Held

An 18-year-old gunman killed two people and injured a child at a public library in Chico, California, on Monday evening in what authorities described as a premeditated attack inspired by the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The suspect was taken into custody within four minutes of the first 911 call, according to AP News.

The Attack

The shooting unfolded on Monday evening at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library, located at Sherman and East 1st Avenues. Dispatchers received multiple 911 calls and heard gunshots and screams through an open line, Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge said.

According to the FBI, the suspect, identified as Bradley Scott Sayer, first conducted a walkthrough of the library before returning to his vehicle to retrieve a shotgun from the trunk. He shot his first victim at the library entrance — a man in the leg, then fatally in the head — before entering the building and firing multiple rounds, killing a second victim.

Investigators believe approximately eight rounds were fired inside the library. A female juvenile who was with one of the victims sustained minor injuries, likely from broken glass, and was treated at Enloe Hospital before being released.

Victims Identified

The victims were identified as Jacob Hull, 46, of Chico, and Robert Johnson, 74, of Orland, California. Both were library patrons with no known connection to the suspect, police said. The injured juvenile was with Hull.

Rapid Police Response

Officers arrived within two minutes of the 911 call. As they entered through the front doors, the suspect fled out the back, where a perimeter had already been established. He was taken into custody without incident and without officers firing their weapons. From the first 911 call to custody took less than four minutes, according to CBS Sacramento.

“From the first 911 call to having him in custody was less than 4 minutes,” Chief Aldridge said, crediting the rapid response with preventing additional casualties.

Columbine Connection

At the time of the shooting, Sayer was wearing a white T-shirt inscribed with the words “natural selection” — mimicking a shirt worn by Eric Harris, one of the two shooters in the 1999 Columbine massacre. Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said the suspect “had been a fan, and a fan for a long time” of Columbine-related content on social media.

“The suspect was a fan, and a fan for some time, of social media involving Columbine-type shootings, the school shootings, and had unfortunately made a deep dive into that social media community, and obviously lost his way in that,” Ramsey said.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel said the suspect “was looking for a confined, populated location to attack” when he chose the library.

Suspect’s Background

Sayer, a recent graduate of Chico High School (graduating just 17 days before the attack on June 5), was described by his father, David Sayer, as shy and “high-functioning” on the autism spectrum. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, the father said there had been “zero” warning signs prior to the shooting.

“Brad has always been a delicate little flower. He’s never harmed anybody. I can’t say that anymore,” David Sayer told the Chronicle.

Police recovered a shotgun from the library floor and two additional firearms from Sayer’s vehicle. All weapons were registered to the suspect’s family. In California, individuals can legally purchase certain long guns like shotguns at 18 years of age.

Charges and Court Appearance

Sayer was booked into Butte County Jail on suspicion of two counts of murder. He is scheduled for arraignment on Thursday, June 25, in Butte County Superior Court. District Attorney Ramsey said Sayer is expected to face two counts of first-degree murder and could face additional attempted murder charges.

Community Response

The shooting has deeply shaken Chico, a city of approximately 100,000 residents in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. All Butte County Library branches were closed on Tuesday. The Chico branch, which was already scheduled for renovations in August, will remain closed until those renovations are complete. Additional security personnel will be added at each library location.

“A library should be a place of joy,” said Misty Wright, Director of Public Libraries for Butte County. “Most of all it should be a place that feels safe. Yesterday that safety was shattered.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement saying, “Our hearts are with the Chico community tonight. We are grateful to law enforcement for their swift actions to secure the scene and take the suspect into custody. No family should have to endure a tragedy like this.”

Investigation Ongoing

The FBI, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, and the Butte County District Attorney’s Office are assisting in the investigation. Officials said Sayer’s family has retained an attorney, though the lawyer’s name has not been released. A search of Butte County court records as of Tuesday did not show Sayer’s name.

Butte County has experienced other high-profile violent incidents in recent years, including a 2024 shooting at an elementary school in Oroville where two kindergarteners were wounded, and a 2022 shooting on a Greyhound bus in Oroville that left one woman dead and four others injured.

What’s Next

Sayer’s arraignment on Thursday will determine the formal charges he faces. Questions remain about his social media activity, how he accessed the firearms, and whether any warning signs were missed. The case also raises broader concerns about the enduring influence of the Columbine massacre on a new generation of potential attackers.