Robert Johnson, 74, was killed on the afternoon of June 22, 2026, at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library. A resident of nearby Orland, Johnson was described as a regular who considered the library his Happy Place. According to reports, an 18-year-old man entered the library after a prior walkthrough, returned with a shotgun, shot Johnson first in the leg and then fatally in the head, and also killed 46-year-old Jacob Cody Hull.

Police say the attacker was taken into custody at the scene within minutes after multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire and screams. He was booked on two counts of murder and, at arraignment on June 25, 2026, charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances and ordered held without bail. The alleged motive reported by investigators was an obsession with the 1999 Columbine massacre; the attacker reportedly wore a shirt reading natural selection and had no prior connection to the victims or the library.

Does anyone have information about Robert Johnson’s life in Orland or his connection to the Chico library that could help understand who he was to the community?