Washington school shooter was outgoing and popular, student says


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MARYSVILLE, Wash. — Allyson Schafer says she never imagined her own high school would fall victim to an on-campus shooting.

"It's really hard to comprehend," Schafer said. "And then all of a sudden you hear that there was a shooting at your school, and it was the person that you just had a conversation with."

The senior at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, who has family in Utah, spoke with KSL Friday and described her recent meeting with the shooter, freshman Jaylen Fryberg.

"He was nominated for homecoming court. He was a nice guy," Schafer said. "He described himself as very outgoing, and he's a very outdoorsy person, and he's culturally active."

Schafer had interviewed Fryberg so she could write a brief biography on him for an upcoming school assembly.

"Even though Jaylen made a mistake, I really feel for his family," Schafer said. "As I've heard, they didn't see it coming and I'm just giving my prayers and all my thoughts to them."

Schafer says she heard gunshots from inside the school Friday morning. Moments later, police started ushering students outside.

"There were at least three officers with really big guns," Schafer said. "They told us all to put our backpacks on the ground and leave the room."

As she walked outside, she says a student next to her started crying after learning that a friend was among the victims who were shot.

"It made me really upset to see her so emotional and everything," Schafer said. "(I'm) just giving prayers to all the families. I didn't know them personally, but I feel really bad and I can't imagine what they're going through right now."

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