Police say the 18-year-old suspect was trying to carry out a Columbine-style attack at a public library.
CHICO, CA — An 18-year-old Chico man was arrested after police said he opened fire Monday evening at the Butte County Library, killing two men and injuring a child before officers captured him behind the building.
Police identified the suspect as Bradley Scott Sayer and said he was booked after the shooting at the Chico branch on Sherman Avenue. The victims were identified as Jacob Hull, 46, of Chico, and Robert Johnson, 74, of Orland. Authorities said the child, who was with Hull, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and was later released from the hospital.
Chico police said dispatchers began receiving 911 calls at 5:12 p.m. Monday from people inside or near the library. Police Chief Billy Aldridge said one open line captured gunshots and screaming as officers were sent to the scene. Officers formed an entry team and went through the front doors while other officers covered the back of the library. Aldridge said the suspect ran out the rear of the building and was taken into custody within minutes. “We believe that quick response saved lives,” Aldridge said during a Tuesday briefing.
Investigators said Sayer walked through the library before the shooting, returned to a vehicle and retrieved a shotgun from the trunk. Sid Patel, a special agent with the FBI’s Sacramento field office, said the suspect appeared to be looking for a crowded, confined place to attack. Police said Johnson was shot near the entrance and Hull was shot inside. The child with Hull was hurt during the chaos, but officials said she was not shot. Authorities said no officers fired their weapons and no gunfire was exchanged between police and the suspect.
Officials said Sayer acted alone and had no known connection to the victims or to the library. Investigators said he wore a white shirt with the words “natural selection,” a phrase tied to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. Patel said interviews and a review of online activity pointed to an interest in Columbine and other school shootings. Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said Sayer had gone “deep” into that online material. Police have not said that anyone else helped plan the attack.
The shooting struck a public building in a college town of about 107,000 people, roughly 90 miles north of Sacramento. The Chico branch of the Butte County Library had been scheduled to close later this summer for renovation work. After the shooting, county officials said the branch would stay closed during the renovation period. Other Butte County library branches were closed Tuesday, then expected to reopen with added security. Flowers and signs were placed outside the Chico branch as investigators continued to process the scene.
Police said they recovered the shotgun used in the attack and found additional firearms in the suspect’s vehicle. Aldridge said the guns were registered under a family name, but investigators were still reviewing how Sayer got them and whether any gun laws were broken. In California, people who are 18 may legally buy some long guns, including some shotguns, though state and federal rules apply. Ramsey said prosecutors expected to file two counts of first-degree murder and were reviewing possible additional charges.
Sayer had recently graduated from Chico High School, officials said. His father, David Sayer, told a local newspaper that he saw no warning signs before the attack and described his son as quiet. Family statements did not change the criminal investigation, officials said. Authorities said detectives from the Chico Police Department were working with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and other agencies to review evidence, interview witnesses and build a timeline of what happened before Sayer arrived at the library.
The case is expected to move next into Butte County Superior Court. Local reports said Sayer was scheduled for arraignment Thursday, June 25, at 3 p.m. Prosecutors said they would decide whether to add attempted murder or weapons counts after reviewing witness statements, video, forensic evidence and firearm records. Police said the public danger had ended after the arrest, but investigators were still asking for information tied to the suspect’s actions before the shooting.
As of Wednesday, June 24, Sayer remained in custody while investigators prepared reports for prosecutors. The next major step is his scheduled court appearance Thursday in Butte County.
Author note: Last updated June 24, 2026.