Five-year-old victim of California school shooting for Gaza may lose use of legs, family says

Glenn Litton shot two kindergarteners earlier this month in an attack he claims was revenge for the Gaza "genocide." His 5-year-old victim may lose complete use of his legs, his family said.

By DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD DECEMBER 13, 2024 19:56

Roman Mendez, age 6, and Elias Wolford, age 5, who were shot in a California kindergarten , (photo credit: Butte County Sherriff)

Elias Wolford, 5, may lose the use of both of his legs after he was shot by gunman Glenn Litton in a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian California school earlier this month, the family told CBS Sacramento on Thursday.

Litton shot two kindergarteners in a revenge attack for the “genocide” in Gaza, Litton claimed in his manifesto.

“I, Lieutenant Glenn Litton of the Alliance, carried out countermeasures in necessitated response to America’s involvement with genocide and oppression of Palestinians along with attacks towards Yemen,” he wrote.

Wolford suffered damage to his spinal cord as a result of Litton’s attack. Wolford's aunt Tawnee Preisner said that after undergoing surgery, Wolford is unable to move his legs.

"He has lost movement. We are hoping that it would come back and it was just swelling. We knew that there was some spinal damage, but we were all hoping, but at this point, it looks like he is not going to regain it with the swelling going down," Preisner said. 

The shooter, Glenn Litton, age 56 (credit: Butte County Sherriff)

Preisner also told KCRA last week that her young nephew’s childhood was “shattered” by the attack.

'Stole his normal childhood'

"What this shooter did was, it stole his normal childhood. And for all the other kids at the school too," Preisner said. "They were there in a private school feeling like this is their safe zone."

The family have shared regular updates on their GoFundMe page, where they announced on Thursday that doctors were unsure if a full recovery would be possible. 

“Let’s lift Elias up in prayer that he will be able to regain the full use of his legs again,” the update read. “Thank you for all your prayers, concerns and support it means so much to the family.”

The fundraiser, started by Wolford’s grandparents, has now raised nearly $80,000 from 154 donors in just over a week.

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Litton’s other victim, Roman Mendez, 6, also sustained internal injuries. Wolford and Mendez are no longer in critical condition and are now classed by medical professionals as stable, according to CBS.

Litton’s body was discovered later on the day of the shooting by a California Highway Patrol officer. It is understood that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

MICHAEL STARR contributed to this report.