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Taft classroom shooting: Teen opened fire with 12-gauge shotgun

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A 16-year-old boy was in critical condition after a classmate interrupted a first-period class at Taft Union High School southwest of Bakersfield, confronted him by name and fired a round from a 12-gauge shotgun into his upper body, authorities said.

The shooter, also 16, then tried to shoot a second boy and missed before an unarmed science teacher was able to talk him down, apparently taking his weapon as the other students fled from the classroom through the door.

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Police officers arrived after the teacher had disarmed the shooter, and took him into custody. They seized his firearm and about 20 extra rounds in his pocket, they said.

PHOTOS: Shooting at Taft Union High School

The teacher, Ryan Heber, was struck by a pellet round to the head but not seriously injured and declined treatment, authorities said.

“If it weren’t for this teacher and his quick response, we don’t know what would have happened,” said Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood.

Police said a school supervisor in the hallway, also unarmed, helped Heber distract the shooter. There were no security guards or police immediately on hand to help them: The school’s armed police officer was not on duty Thursday because he had been delayed by snow, authorities said.

The boy who was shot remained in surgery at Kern Medical Center on Thursday afternoon. Police described his condition as critical but stable. The other injured students included a girl who was close to the shooter as he fired; she was being treated at a local hospital for possible hearing damage. A third student received minor injuries, and may have tripped over tables, police said.

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Youngblood said the shooting occurred about 9 a.m. The assailant, who was not identified by police, is a student at the school and arrived late. He had apparently had some prior dealings with the student he targeted and wounded.

Authorities said the shooter came into class with the shotgun, spoke to the student, and shot two to four rounds at him, striking him once. He then addressed another student by name and fired, but missed. It was unclear when Heber was shot. Police said witnesses were distracted by the chaos and they could not say how many rounds had been fired.

Two Taft police units, responding to numerous 911 calls, took about a minute to get to the school. Officers arrived at the classroom to find Heber with the shooter, whom he had disarmed. Youngblood described Heber as distraught after the incident; the teacher later sent a text message to his mother to say he was OK, said his father, David Heber.

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-- Ann M. Simmons in Taft, and Nicole Santa Cruz and Kate Mather in Los Angeles

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