San Bernardino school shooting :Husband shoots teacher wife and 8-year-old pupil dead in front of class

 An estranged husband shot his primary school teacher wife and an eight-year-old pupil dead in front of her class before turning the gun on himself.

Cedric Anderson, 53, entered a classroom at North Park Elementary School and opened fire on his wife, Karen Elaine Smith, 53, about 10:30 a.m., said San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan. He did not speak, and reloaded the weapon before shooting himself, Burguan said.


Two students standing behind Smith were also shot, police said. The boy, identified as Jonathan Martinez, was flown by helicopter to Loma Linda Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, hospital officials said.

The shooting occurred in a classroom for students with intellectual disabilities, said San Bernardino Unified School District spokeswoman Maria Garcia. There were 15 students from first through fourth grades in the room, and two adult aides, Burguan said.

Anderson had a long criminal history including convictions for weapons and domestic abuse offences.

He arrived at the school's front office and said he needed to see his wife, police said.Anderson was allowed to sign in as a visitor by staff who did not see he was armed with a handgun, police said.

Chief Burguan said the couple had been married briefly and had been separate for about a month or month and a half.

The two students struck by gunfire had been standing behind Smith, the chief said.

Anderson and Karen Smith only got married on January 28, according to posts on social media.

There were 15 young children in the classroom at the time and around 500 in the school in total.

SWAT tanks and anti-terrorism officers stormed the school and placed it into lockdown following the incident just after 10.45am local time.

The LA Times