Teen suspect in California school shooting dies from self-inflicted gunshot wound

LOS ANGELES - The suspected teen shooter who fatally shot two students and wounded three others on Thursday morning at a Southern California high school died from self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday afternoon, local authorities said.

"Sheriff's Homicide advises that the assailant from the Saugus High School assault has died at 3:32 pm today (2332 GMT)," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a written statement.

"Nathaniel Tennosuke Berhow, 16, a Junior at Saugus High School, was being treated for a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, when he succumbed to his injuries," added the Sheriff's Department.

The suspected teen shooter's mother was present at the time of his passing. Berhow was hospitalized on Thursday in "grave condition" following the shooting attack.

The suspect who took a semi-automatic pistol from his backpack before the start of classes in the morning on his birthday, shot five students and then shot himself in the head, said officials.

A 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were killed in the incident. The other three wounded were a 14-year-old boy and two girls, aged 14 and 15, respectively.

"As far as we know the actual targets were at random," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a news conference on Friday, adding that the motive of the suspect "still remains a mystery."

Authorities are still investigating the origin of the pistol used in the attack.