Two minutes. That’s all it took for Chico Police to respond to gunfire at the Butte County Library on Monday and prevent what could have been a much larger tragedy. The speed of that response—from the first 911 call at 5:12 p.m. to officers on scene at 5:14 p.m.—has become the focal point of what authorities are calling a horrific but contained act of violence.
Robert Johnson, 74, of Orland and Jacob Hull, 46, of Chico were killed in the shooting. A girl who was with Hull was also injured. The alleged shooter, 18-year-old Bradley Scott Sayer of Chico, was taken into custody at 5:16 p.m. and is now facing two first-degree murder charges, according to Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey. Attempted murder charges are also being examined. Authorities believe Sayer acted alone and had no prior connection to any of the three people hit by gunfire.
What makes this case particularly unsettling is what investigators discovered about Sayer’s intent. According to FBI Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the Sacramento field office, Sayer’s motivation appears rooted in a desire to commit what he described as a“Columbine High School massacre type of shooting.”Sayer, who recently graduated from Chico High School, had conducted a walkthrough of the library before the attack. He was wearing a white T-shirt with“natural selection”written on it in marker—a direct reference to one of the Columbine shooters. When officers arrived, they found a shotgun inside the library and two additional firearms in his vehicle. Eight rounds total were fired.
Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge called the response time absolutely amazing—and with good reason. Officers entered through the front doors while Sayer exited from the back, where a perimeter had already been established. That coordinated response, combined with the shocking speed of arrival, likely saved lives. There was no security at the library at the time of the shooting, a gap now being addressed. Security personnel are being deployed to each location in the Butte County library system going forward.
This incident sits at the intersection of several uncomfortable realities: the threat of ideologically motivated violence, the role of rapid police response in limiting casualties, and the ongoing vulnerability of public spaces. The investigation remains active, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Chico Police Department at 530-897-4911.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
