CARLSBAD, Calif. — A gunman opened fire on a crowded school playground Friday, grazing two children with bullets before construction workers tackled him, authorities said.
The suspect parked his car about noon, jumped a fence and opened fire as he walked across campus in the north San Diego suburb, said Carlsbad police Lt. Kelly Cain. The students, ages 6 and 7, were not seriously injured.
The suspect, a man in his 40s or 50s whose name was not released, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Cain said. He is thought to have acted alone.
“He is possibly a transient who lives in the area,” Cain said. “He is not cooperating with the investigation. He probably has some mental-health issues.”
Scott Chandler was repairing a Jet Ski in his driveway when he heard two loud bangs and saw children running and screaming. He ran downhill in his flip-flops and saw several men struggling on the side of the road.
As he approached the crowd, he saw bullets fall out of the suspect’s pocket.
“I just started yelling at him, ‘Why are you shooting kids?’ ” Chandler said. “His face was in the dirt, his teeth were in the dirt, and he just grunted.”
Construction worker Carlos Partida told KGTV-TV that he ran to his truck after he saw the suspect leave the playground.
“I hit him with my truck,” he said.
