A shooting occurred at around 5:12 PM local time on June 22, 2026, at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library in northern California, leaving two adults dead and one child injured [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Multiple 911 calls reported gunshots and screams from inside the library. Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge said, "We had an open 911 line [and] you could hear gunshots and people screaming" [1].
Police arrived approximately six minutes after the first call and entered the building [1, 3]. The suspect tried to flee through the back door but was arrested without incident by officers outside [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Authorities believe the suspect acted alone and have not released a confirmed motive or the victims' identities, although one source identified the suspect as Bradley Scott Sayer [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The Butte County Library closed all its branches on June 23 in response to the shooting [1, 3]. Chico is a college town of about 107,000 people located 90 miles from California's capital [1].
Police Chief Aldridge said the shooting caused major trauma to the community and described it as a rare serious violent event during his tenure: "這起槍擊案對當地社區造成重大衝擊，且是他擔任局長以來罕見的嚴重暴力事件" [2]. He added that the public is not facing an immediate threat while the investigation continues: "目前公眾並未面臨迫切的威脅，並已對這起槍擊案展開調查" [4]. Aldridge also noted the incident was deeply painful and traumatic: "這起傍晚發生的事件顯然非常令人悲痛，對很多人造成創傷，也對我們的社區帶來巨大創傷" [5].
California State Senator Megan Dahle said the library is normally a safe and quiet place for families and expressed condolences: "The library is a safe and quiet place for families of all kinds, a place to enjoy storytime or pick up a book for summer reading. We don’t know the facts yet, but nothing like this should happen to families anywhere – and certainly not at this place of wholesome joy. My prayers go out to all who had to suffer this horror" [1].
Federal agencies including the FBI are assisting local police with the investigation [1, 2, 3]. The Butte County Library branches remain closed as authorities work on the case [1, 3].
