‘Chaos': Parents Say Hectic Confusion Follows Deadly San Bernardino Elementary School Shooting

"She just told me, 'Honey bunny, I'm OK.' I just told her to calm down, and help the kids."

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Hundreds of parents rushed to get to a blocked off San Bernardino elementary school after a deadly shooting left two adults and one student dead and another student injured Monday. 

Chaotic confusion followed mixed messages sent to parents via voicemails from North Park Elementary School and from the San Bernardino Police Department. 

"My friend called me to tell me there were helicopters everywhere," parent Norma Nolasco said. "There's nowhere to park so I had to run from my house. I'm just hoping they're OK." 

The looks on parents' faces showed the community on edge as they attempted to find or contact their children. The shooter, identified as Cedric Charles Anderson, opened fire on his wife, Karen Smith, who was a teacher at the school. Two students behind her at the time were struck. Eight-year-old Jonathan Martinez was killed and another unidentified student was in stable condition at the hospital.

The two children struck by gunfire were not targeted, official said at a news conference. They were airlifted to the hospital in critical condition. 

When the students' identities were not revealed, parents were frantic as they arrived on the elementary school campus and other staging areas, as directed by law enforcement and the school district. 

Parents waited, praying and crying, as they waited for more information. 

One man, whose wife works as a secretary at the school, said she was terrified, but safe. He was waiting outside of the back part of the North Park Elementary School campus. 

"She left her phone home -- of all things," he said, noting she never leaves her cellphone at home. "She just told me, 'Honey bunny, I'm OK.' I just told her to calm down, and help the kids."

He said his wife did not hear gunshots when she was on campus. 

"That's my grandson right there -- I can see him," one relieved grandparent said as he spotted his grandson boarding a bus heading to Cal State University San Bernardino. "He can't see me, but I can see him right there, so that's good, because the whole family is rushing to get here."

The uncle of a student waiting to get more information spotted his nephew behind gates, and expressed his relief that the kindergartener was OK.

"He looks like he doesn't know what was going on - which is good. I saw him smile," he said. 

Evacuated students were arriving at the Cal State San Bernardino campus while parents were told to stage at Cajon High School. Officials said after children were all accounted for, they would be reunited with their children, but the process may take three hours. 

Parents were being directed to the gym of Cajon High School. 

"I feel good that my baby is OK," said Ananis Cherry, who was reunited with her daughter Krianna just before 3 p.m. "You drop her off for school in the morning, and you think everything is going to be OK. You never know what can happen."

Krianna told her mom teachers told her she was going on a field trip when students were loaded onto buses. 

All children were reunited with their parents and families by 4:45 p.m., a Cajon High school official told NBC4.

Family members of students were asked to call 909-382-3846 if they needed assistance.

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