[5] The schools hold at least two lockdown drills per year, and use a "Text-a-Tip" hotline for students to report suspicious behavior.

[6] Earlier in 2019, students at Saugus High School had participated in a class project to create a training video for dealing with an active shooter.

[8] The weapon was later identified by Los Angeles County Sheriff as a .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun, a privately made firearm assembled from a kit (commonly known as a "ghost gun").

[7] One injured student escaped the quad and took refuge in the school's choir room, where the teacher barricaded the door and rendered first aid.

[28] Berhow was a Boy Scout and a junior varsity cross country runner for Saugus High School.

[32] Los Angeles County detectives joined with officials from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine whether the gun was made from a kit, that is, parts purchased separately and then assembled.

[23] The county sheriff announced that the handgun used in the shooting was a privately made firearm, assembled from interchangeable parts without markings.

Whoever assembled the gun kit was able to avoid many existing regulations regarding definition and registration of firearms, and associated background checks for possession and transfer.

[33] During the same search of Berhow's home, authorities told reporters that they had found no evidence to help them identify a motive: neither manifesto, diary, nor suicide note.

[34] Given the shooter's demonstrated familiarity with the weapon and speed of the attack, the county sheriff said he believed that the minor had planned the shooting.

[35] Some students discussed the potential identity of the shooter through social media, but policed the postings and refused to spread false information.

[37] A "Saugus Strong" website was launched on November 15 for community resources, and supportive, loving messages were included.

[37] Another vigil was planned for students and the community on November 17, with a reported 10,000 individuals present to commemorate the two deceased victims and all those affected.

[38] On February 18, 2021, the words "In Memoriam Gracie Muehlberger and Dominic Blackwell" were added to the sign at the entrance to Central Park to honor the victims of the shooting, following a decision by the Santa Clarita Water Board on December 15, 2020.

[39][40] In October 2023, the victims' families sued the school district, claiming that it failed to prevent the shooting from happening.

[44] US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Democrats from Connecticut, had been advocating for universal background checks when news of the shooting broke.

When informed of events by an aide, Blumenthal incorporated the news into his speech, saying: "As I speak, on the floor right now, there is a school shooting in Santa [Clarita], California.

[47][better source needed] Gina Painter, a teacher at Saugus, wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post in which she stated her concern about the lack of action by politicians and organizations.