An 18-year-old who had graduated from Chico High School just two weeks earlier allegedly shot and killed two people at the Butte County Library in Chico, California, on Monday afternoon, leaving a community already familiar with tragedy in shock. The victims were identified as Robert Johnson, 74, of Orland, and Jacob Cody Hull, 46, of Chico. A seven-year-old girl Hull was protecting was injured and later released from the hospital.
Library as a Sacred Community Space
The Butte County Library is the only public library serving Chico's population of about 107,000. Residents describe it as a treasured resource offering story time for children, English learning conversation groups, and internet access for those who lack it. After the deadly 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed Paradise and Magalia, the library became a lifeline for fire survivors navigating displacement.
“It’s unimaginable,” said John Wollam, a 35-year resident of Chico. “I have family that lives in Vegas and they were there for the country music festival shooting. You never think something like this would ever happen in our community.”
The Shooting Unfolds
Police say Bradley Scott Sayer entered the library around 5 p.m., an hour before closing, when it was less busy. He walked through, returned to his car to grab a shotgun, and shot the first victim at the entrance. Inside, he fired multiple shots. Library staff quickly ushered patrons into locked workrooms, according to branch director Kimberlee Wheeler, who was off-site. “My staff was very courageous and level-headed and I’m in awe of them,” she said.
Chico police received multiple 911 calls with sounds of screaming and gunshots. Officers arrived in less than two minutes, taking Sayer into custody roughly four minutes after the first call. The FBI confirmed Sayer allegedly sought to perpetrate a shooting like the 1999 Columbine massacre, wearing a T-shirt with “natural selection” as an homage to one of the perpetrators.
Community in Mourning
Jacob Cody Hull died protecting his partner's daughter, Juniper, who is seven. “Hero is the word that comes to mind. He took Juniper into his life. She wasn’t his daughter, but he treated her like I treat my daughter. And he ultimately gave his life protecting her,” said Wollam, a friend and neighbor.
On Tuesday evening, hundreds gathered for vigils at a local church and outside the library. The Rev. Robert Morton told the crowd, “The truth is this: there are no words I can say today or that any of us can come up with that make sense of how we feel.”
A City Accustomed to Tragedy
Chico has faced repeated tragedies, including the 2018 Camp Fire and nearby high-profile shootings. The city has welcomed fire victims and firefighters, and its population grew significantly after the fire. But this random act of violence in a sacred space felt different. “It’s shattering. Tragic. It’s something you hope will never happen,” Wheeler said. “We work so hard to make it safe and welcoming every day.”
City councillor Addison Winslow noted the community's history of showing up for each other. “This time it was just here in our library,” he said. After the vigil, people walked around the library to reclaim the space from the horrors inside.
