He targeted seven locations in the rural community of Rancho Tehama, including an elementary school that went on lockdown before he came in. 14 min read. "But this was pretty obvious," he continues. "He had complaints against him and they never did anything about it except knock on his door," he says. And we all strongly agree that", "It is very tough. One student was wounded by gunfire and a second by flying glass. Nov 15, 2017, 03:54 PM EST. After getting out on bail for the stabbing, the gunman was slapped with a temporary restraining order or TRO. Authorities said all of the adults lived in Rancho Tehama, a rural Northern California town with a population of about 1,500. But just below the surface it's clear people here are still grappling with the aftermath of a local man's murderous rampage nearly three months ago that killed five and wounded 12 others. "There was absolutely no question, no hesitation and I do believe that that also helped," she says. As with so many mass shootings across the U.S., because the death toll was comparatively low, Rancho Tehamas was little more than another blip on the slaughter radar, forgotten by many within months. His neighbors complained regularly that Neal was firing off rounds day and night. During the killing spree, he killed neighbors and then motorists in his path before attacking an elementary school, wounding children therein. Neal went on a 25-minute tear through the community, starting just down the road from his home, where he killed his neighbor and two men, then stole a Ford F-150 pickup and drove north, said Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston. She was carrying a gun and had a license to carry, but she was unable to shoot at Neal because he drove away quickly. The man survived after pleading with Neal for his life. The attack killed four people and left nearly 12 more injured. He fired about 30 rounds in six minutes before he took off. All of it, all of his problems are from this incident in Tehama.. Neal was outside, beating his wife Barbara Gilsan. He said that as Neal emptied a magazine, in a matter of seconds, he could set the rifle over a magazine on the vest and the gun was reloaded. 2017 . Another young man, Dale Dykes, showed where Neal was shot and killed by officers, just a short distance down the road from where Sanders lives. It was a real big shock.". [9][8], Eleven other peoplesix adults and five childrenwere also shot, but survived. Before they split up, Feitelberg and her husband successfully applied to be Gages legal guardians, which enabled them to receive Social Security payments on his behalf. The smaller ones often received far less. Elliotts father has dementia, and has to be reminded a few times a day that his son and his wife are dead. Kevin Janson Neal and his wife lived at the end of the road, at the bottom of a ravine, in a battered baby-blue trailer home with a front yard full of broken-down cars . One student was wounded by gunfire and a second by flying glass. One of children was the 6-year-old boy who would eventually be injured by gunfire. He began freelancing for the Orange County Register and relocated to south Florida in 2001, when he was awarded a fellowship through the Freedom Forum. and 3 neighbors and moved to the elementary school in Tehama County at around 8 am. This time, however, Wythe noticed that the gunshot sounds were coming up the road, toward him. Three of the children were treated and released at the scene, two were treated and released from a hospital and one remains hospitalized. Rancho Tehama is a remote, sparsely populated, rural unincorporated community in Tehama County, California, that had a population of 1,485 in 2010. November 15, 2017 / 7:10 AM Kevin Janson Neal, went on a killing spree, shooting his wife and his neighbors. They watched Neal release the truck from the fence and then speed off, firing more gunshot rounds as he left. Every bullet missed but the one that grazed his arm. Woods Sr. said his son would have applied for the funding earlier, but the trauma including the fire pain of being shot and the first round of dental treatments only recently subsided enough for Woods Jr. to take that step. In reply to Jeff Gorder. All rights reserved. He targeted seven locations in the rural community of Rancho Tehama, including an . Authorities . The. The Ranch is quite isolated in a rather hilly location. Ferreira did say that when Miss Nelson called 911, she got a busy signal. Since January 31, 2018, ghost guns required a serial number in the state. He was killed during a shoot-out with police. Because it feels mostly peaceful where he lives, hell stay. He gets good grades, she said, but for four years, he kept to himself, he made no friends, he didnt want to go out anywhere. The man ran off and Neal stole his car. The gunman, identified by the Sacramento Bee and members of the Rancho Tehama, as Kevin Janson Neal, 44, shot both inside and outside Rancho Tehama Elementary School, Johnston said. that Kevin Janson Neal, a 44-year-old resident of the small community in Northern California, was the . James Woods Jr. was driving near Rancho Tehama Elementary with his father, James Woods Sr., in the passenger seat on Nov. 14, 2017, when Neal opened fire on their car. Tehama County Sheriff's Department. I spoke with Jim, the husband of Sara, the quick-thinking school secretary who put the school on lockdown. Rancho Tehama, also known as the Rancho Tehama Reserve, is an unincorporated community in Tehama County, California, . Krystal, who was a fifth-grader then, remembers hearing gunfire. "[9], The shootings renewed attention on the legality and control of ghost guns, such as the semi-automatic rifle used in this incident. Neal then fired eight rounds into a Ford F-250 occupied by a woman and her son, who was headed to school. And then, all of a sudden one day after that, I had them.. Time stopped in November 2017 for many who were affected by Neals bloody rampage, which left behind seven separate crime scenes and ended when he turned one of his guns on himself. . Sanders and Ferreira both expressed frustration that the mass murder that happened in their community exactly one week ago was not just senseless, but preventable. ", "One of the teachers quoted, 'the students are the heroes.' Jim works at the gas station in town. The attack ended when the gunman, Kevin Janson Neal, took his own life. 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Ten people suffered bullet wounds and eight were cut by flying glass caused by the gunfire. Gregg Cohen, told the Sacramento Bee he is prosecuting a man named Kevin Neal in that case. Police Find Body Of Tehama County Gunman's Wife, Making His Death Toll 5. Meanwhile, one man described how there are basically five bad guys in Rancho Tehama, though he knew better than to identify them by name. Outside Rancho Tehama Elementary School after the shooting on Nov. 14, 2017. Tehama County district attorney confirms the suspected shooter, Kevin Janson Neal, was killed by police. Despite Ferreiras quick actions, hes tortured by the wish that hed been the one shot, not a 6-year-old little kid. The woman, who had a concealed carry permit, pulled out her own handgun but was unable to fire it before Neal drove away, Johnston said. [6] A sixth body, that of the shooter's wife 38-year-old Barbara Glisan, was later discovered under the floorboards of their home;[6][11] she is believed to have been killed the day before. Authorities have identified the man behind Tuesday's shooting spree in Rancho Tehama . Police in Tehama County said the shooting took place across several sites including the elementary school, with Kevin Janson Neal reportedly picking targets at random. Yes it did.". [17] The handguns were not registered to him. "It hurt. He was riding in a car with his son when Kevin Janson Neal opened fire. By the time 44-year-old Kevin Neal was finally stopped fatally shot by officers Neal had killed five people and injured 18. "He pretty much stopped me and shot at me three times through his windshield," Gonzales said. Gun violence is so routine that theres just not the resources there to address the problem at all, he said. Cardenas says pledges of help to cover some medical costs transportation, medicine, mental health care have yet to materialize from the sheriff's office and the California victim's compensation board. Image Credit: CBS Sacramento/YouTube. It is believed the shooting spree began after a domestic row with the gunman's neighbours in Rancho Tehama, a rural community about 120 miles (195km . Definitely the biggest thing, he said, is wondering how theyre going to look at their dad when theyre older., Now 12 years old, Gage moved with Feitelberg to her and her husbands home in Sacramento immediately after the shooting. Nine months before the shooting rampage, a judge had issued Neal a restraining order at a neighbor's request and ordered him to surrender his guns. Nearby the community's lone eatery, a caf and deli that was open during the shooting, looks like it's now out of business. Bruehl said Neal had an AK-47, and he and Wythe were both wondering where the cops were. As Sanders tried to reach Neal, Neal ran to the stolen truck, firing the whole time at Sanders. There is no doubt in my mind, saved countless lives," said Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston. No one, Johnston says, seemed to see Neal shooting a weapon. It ripped his world, said Feitelberg, who moved her grandson out of Rancho Tehama Reserve after the shooting. Dale Dykes shows the location of the fatal shootout between officers and Kevin Neal that left Neal dead. [22], Governor Jerry Brown, and his wife Anne, offered condolences to all the victims and their families, saying, "Anne and I are saddened to hear about today's violence in Tehama County, which shockingly involved schoolchildren. After a couple of more tries Nelson finally got through and was told 911 was getting a lot of calls. [9][35] His mother had reportedly noticed a decline in his mental health since 2016. 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Some people might find bitter comfort knowing that one name is permanently off the list: Kevin Janson Neal. ANI. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He created a photo book of his dogs especially for the children at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, where he donated several copies. Kevin Janson Neal was arrested, charged with stabbing neighbor Hailey Suzanne Poland, attacking her mother-in-law during Jan. 31 encounter in rural neighborhood. Shortly before the shooting started, Sanders sister Tina had just dropped her son off at Rancho Tehama Elementary School. At the time of the spree, Neal had been freed on bail pending trial for two alleged felonies, and five alleged misdemeanors. [40], Due to the shooting spree, Rancho Tehama Elementary School was closed earlier than planned for the Thanksgiving holiday break[5] and reopened on November 27. Source: Tehama County Sheriff. Yikes!! His neighbors had complained he had fired multiple rounds for days before this rampage that ended up at this elementary school. Law enforcement arrived and a shootout ensued. I arrived at Rancho Tehama Sunday morning, and I left that evening. Elliott was Sanders best friend, so it was emotionally difficult for Sanders to speak about Elliott as he shared some background. I'm scared Lol. The retired contractor didn't want his full name used. Scheide. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Doha Madani. He fired repeatedly at the locked-down doors, windows and walls. Among those killed was Neals wife. I did get some clarification on the tragedy, but not on all the victims. News media reported others who were shot by Neal as he drove to the school, such as Tiffany Nai Phommathep, shot four times in the shoulder while driving in her truck with her children passengers, some of whom were also injured by Neals bullets. Another, to help with hospital bills for a 34-year-old Rancho Tehama father who was shot in the leg, brought in less than $5,000. (Elijah Nouvelage / AFP / Getty Images) By Alene Tchekmedyian Staff Writer Kevin Janson Neal. Wythe said he was in his camper with Sammy, Bruehls dog, when he heard gunshots, something he said is common in this region, and not usually a cause for alarm. Medical professionals cut teeth and tissue out of the then-20-year-olds mouth. Sanders said that he and Elliott were both threatened by Neal at various times, as were both of their young sons. By the time 44-year-old Kevin Neal was finally stopped - fatally shot by officers - Neal had killed five people and injured 18. It was gone, gone. Parents and school officials are thankful, yet still deeply shaken; some of the wounded feel forgotten and misled; many residents feel the police dropped the ball and say officers should have kept a closer eye on a troubled man whose life was clearly spiraling out of control. The gunman didn't kill Gage, but instead left him an orphan. Over two days, according to the FBI, five people were slain and 14 others were wounded, including five children at Rancho Tehama Elementary School, before the gunman, 44-year-old Kevin Janson Neal, took his own life. As she drove away, she heard something a gunshot or a firecracker. Kevin Neal. He is a 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist in feature photography for images of Central Americans risking life and limb as they jump aboard the trains from southern Mexico bound for the United States and a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist in breaking news photography for team coverage of hurricanes. Jessie Sanders was grazed by one of Kevin Neals bullets. That morning, his father and paternal grandmother, who were raising him together in a modest house at the end of a gravel road, were gunned down during a mass shooting across this remote north-central California community. That seemed strange, so as the sound of gunfire intensified, Wythe grabbed the dog and fell to the floor. Like Gage, Sanders son also was at Rancho Tehama Elementary when Neal arrived after shooting multiple people on his way from Bobcat Lane. Neal's mother told The Associated Press her son, who was a marijuana . Sanders and Ferreira both said that when Neal rammed the gate, John, the schools custodian/bus driver, peeked around the corner toward the shots. Police say the shooting then moved on to Rancho Tehama Elementary School . It was so close I was almost like 'just get it over with, just hit me.'". It's evident in a response that seems to linger somewhere between regret and resignation.