At least three students were wounded in a shooting at a high school in Southern California Thursday morning, authorities said. The search is now on for the suspect, according to authorities.
Deputies have swarmed the scene at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, about 35 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said there are at least three victims, including at least one gunshot victim. All three are believed to be students, said the sheriff.
"The three victims have been transported and they are receiving treatment right now," he told ABC Los Angeles station KABC.
KTTV
KTTV
The sheriff told KABC the suspect is believed to be part of the student body. Only one suspect is believed to be involved, officials said.
One student told KABC he was headed to school when a few friends texted him to not go because they heard shots.
KABC
"At first I didn't believe it," said the sophomore. "You would never think this would happen... I saw cops and I stopped and I called my mom and she told me to come straight home."
Students were led single file through the campus by armed officers. Multiple ambulances were spotted at the scene as worried parents jammed the streets.
KTTV
KTTV
Local photographer Austin Dave described the scene as "controlled chaos" to KABC.
As the search for the suspect continues, sheriff's officials urge those who live in the area to lock their doors and stay inside.
Other nearby schools were placed on lockdown, according to sheriff's officials.
ABC News Map Illustration / Google Earth
Misty Wolf, a Saugus High School graduate whose 16-year-old daughter goes to a nearby school, said they were just arriving when her daughter's school was placed on lockdown.
"We were all getting there and parents heard shots -- or what we thought were shots," Wolf told ABC News. "The nice guy who waves us in the lot every morning started shouting at the kids walking to get out of the way get up the hill. ...We were all trying to get out. People were confused."
"Having my kid, who is already dealing with things in life, being scared because I told her to duck down because they don't know where the shooter is -- is hard," Wolf said. "There was another [school lockdown] a few years ago and she never wanted to leave her classroom after it. I'm worried that this will make her not want to be at school because she doesn't feel safe."
Moments before news of the shooting broke, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) was on the Senate floor calling on his colleagues to bring up a universal background checks bill that was passed by the House earlier this year.
He asked for unanimous consent to pass the legislation dubbed the "Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019" that would establish new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties. The House approved of the measure in February in a 240-90 vote.
His fellow Democratic Connecticut Senator, Richard Blumenthal, was in the middle of his remarks on gun violence when he was handed a note informing him of the reported shooting.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
ABC News' Olivia Rubin, Mariam Khan, Ella Torres, Jesse Convertino and Kelly McCarthy contributed to this report.