WASHINGTON: Aut­horities in Washin­gton state were working on Saturday to piece together why a popular high school student opened fire on classmates sitting at a cafeteria table, killing one and wounding four others, some of them apparently cousins, before killing himself.

The Friday incident at Marysville-Pilchuck High School north of Seattle sent students fleeing from the building and sheltering under desks in the latest of a series of school shootings. County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday that officers had completed their on-scene investigation and recovered a 0.40 caliber handgun.

Police have not released the shooter’s identity, but a Marysville school official and multiple classmates said a well-liked freshman named Jaylen Fryberg was responsible for Friday’s rampage.

Students who knew Fryberg described him as an outgoing and popular football player, unlike the loner personality that is often associated with school shootings.

Witnesses said the shooter had targeted a single table in the cafeteria.

“He came up from behind and had a gun in his hand, and he fired about eight bullets,” student Jordan Luton told CNN. ” ... They were his friends so it wasn’t just random.” All five victims were under 18, medical officials said. One female classmate was killed, police said. Her identity has not been released.

Fifteen-year-old Andrew Fryberg was shot in the head and remained in critical condition in intensive care at Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle on Saturday, a spokeswoman said. She said Nate Hatch, 14, was shot in the jaw and was in serious condition there.—Reuters

Local media, community members and fellow students said the boys were cousins of the shooter and members of the Native American Tulalip Tribes. The two female victims, Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, 14, and Gia Soirano, 14, remained in critical condition on Saturday at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, said Dr Joanne Roberts.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014