Katie Hill: It was ‘almost like’ Santa Clarita students knew shooting was coming

Former California Rep. Katie Hill (D) said it was “almost like” Saugus High School students in Santa Clarita, Calif., knew Thursday’s school shooting was coming after other mass shootings disrupted nearby communities.

“It’s almost like the students I worked with over the course of the campaign knew that it was going to be coming, that it was a matter of time,” Hill, an alumna of the school, told CNN. 

A gunman attacked Saugus High on Thursday morning, killing at least one and injuring at least five people. The gunman is in custody and has been transferred to a local hospital. 

Hill said she could hear sirens from her backyard. When asked about law enforcement’s methodical response to the situation, she said she was “unfortunately” not “surprised.”

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t surprise me that they’re doing this in an orderly way because they’ve been practicing,” she told CNN. “It’s horrifying that this is what our society has come to but the students know that this is something they should expect.”

The former representative added that she feels “powerless” after the Democratic-controlled House-passed gun reform measures have not been taken up in the Senate.

“What are we supposed to say at this point?” she asked.

The House passed a universal background checks bill, and the House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill in December to prevent high-risk individuals from owning guns and ban high-capacity ammunition magazines. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has blocked debate on the legislation, saying he will not bring it up unless President Trump commits to signing it into law.

Hill announced her resignation late last month amid allegations she had inappropriate sexual relationships with congressional and campaign staffers.