An armed man fatally shot one student and injured at least three people in Seattle Pacific University campus hall, Thursday. The attacker was arrested by the police.
The suspect, identified as Aaron Ybarra of Mountlake Terrace, entered the lobby of Otto Miller Hall wearing a black sweat shirt. He was loaded with a shotgun, knife and some more ammunition. Ybarra began firing randomly, police said, reports The Los Angeles Times.
Jon Meis, an engineering student working as a building monitor, used pepper spray on Ybarra as he was reloading the gun. He was then subdued and subsequently fell on ground. Other students jumped and held Ybarra down till the police arrived.
Four injured people were rushed to Harborview Medical Center. A 19-year-old man was declared brought dead by the doctors, a 20-year-old woman was in a critical condition, and two injured victims were in stable condition, Thursday evening.
People who were on campus during the shootings were told to remain inside, lock doors, and stay away from windows. Those outside the building were told not to enter, reports The Washington Post.
Police booked Ybarra in the King County Jail for murder and the investigation is on.
KIRO-TV reports, citing unnamed police sources, that the suspect "was obsessed'' with the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. He even traveled to the Colorado school where two students killed 15 people and wounded 21 others.
Student of Seattle Pacific hailed Meis for subduing Ybarra. Matt Garcia, a student, tweeted: "I'm proud of the selfless actions that my roommate, Jon Meis, showed today taking down the shooter. He is a hero."
Father of Ybarra, Ambrose Ybarra, said he did not know his son was involved in the shooting. "We don't know anything,'' he told The Seattle Times. "We just hope he's safe. I'm a family man. I just need to put my arms around my family now. We just need to sit down and talk. It's upsetting to have these accusations thrown around. We're in emergency mode. We are trying to stay calm."
