Suspect in California vocational school shooting charged

OAKLAND, Calif. – The suspect in a killing spree at a small Christian vocational school admitted to police that he took a .45-caliber handgun and four fully loaded magazines of ammunition to the campus, kidnapped one woman and shot several people before fleeing in a victim’s car, according to court documents released Wednesday.

One L. Goh, a 43-year-old South Korean national, was charged with seven counts of murder – all with special circumstances – and three counts of attempted murder. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said her office is considering whether to seek the death penalty.

Goh, who was represented by a public defender, did not enter a plea. He will appear in court again on April 30.

Although the broad details of the attack were known before Goh’s court appearance, officials presented a different motive Wednesday.

The former nursing student had gone to the small campus in industrial East Oakland looking for an administrator who was not there, officials said. When he could not find her, he took a 24-year-old school secretary hostage before lining up students in a classroom and shooting.