A brave sixth-grader stepped in to support younger students during a frightening school shooting at a small Christian school in California. On Wednesday, as a gunman opened fire, Jocelyn Orlando remained calm and helped her terrified classmates despite her own fears.
The incident occurred at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, where the shooter critically wounded two young boys, ages 5 and 6, just moments away from Jocelyn. In the midst of panic, she acted quickly to comfort those around her.
“I was thinking about my family and what would happen to me if I got shot,” Jocelyn recounted. Hearing gunshots and screams as she and her classmates returned from lunch, she chose to help. “I told the kindergartners to take deep breaths and think of something happy,” she said.
She advised the younger students to close their eyes and cover their ears while the shooter was threateningly pacing near a window. As the situation unfolded, Jocelyn’s selflessness shone through.
The unidentified gunman injured two boys before tragically taking his own life. According to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, one boy was transported to the hospital by helicopter in extremely critical condition.
The suspect had entered the school under the pretense of a meeting to discuss potential enrollment. After the meeting, the principal heard the sounds of gunfire and screams, leading to the shocking realization that students had been hurt.
Authorities believe that the gunman had no prior connection to the school or its students but may have targeted it due to its affiliation with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
In recognition of her remarkable bravery, Jocelyn Orlando will be honored with an award from the One In Five Foundation For Kids, an organization committed to supporting children in crisis situations.
