Shooting at Northern California library kills 2; suspect in custody

A shooting at a library in Northern California, U.S., left two people dead and a suspect is in custody, according to police.

Also read | A list of deadly shootings on college campuses in the U.S.

Police responded to a 911 call soon after 5 p.m. on Monday (June 22, 2026) in which the sounds of gun shots and people screaming could be heard coming from inside the Chico branch of the Butte County Library, Billy Aldridge, the city’s chief of police, said during a news conference.

Once officers were inside the library, the suspect fled out from the back, he said. Additional law enforcement behind the library took the suspect into custody, according to Mr. Aldridge.

“The incident this evening was obviously very sad, traumatic for a lot of people. Very traumatic for our community,” he said.

The streets around the library were closed temporarily and a family reunification center was set up for the people who were inside the building.

A child was also taken to the hospital with a minor injury.

Mr. Aldridge said there is no serious threat to the public and law enforcement are investigating the shooting.

The police didn’t release the suspect’s name nor details on what prompted the shooting. Law enforcement are also not releasing the names of the people killed until next of kin have been notified.