OROVILLE, Calif. -  The Butte County Sheriff released new information about the motive of the gunman who shot two children at a Christian school in Palermo this week. The district attorney said it could possibly be considered a hate crime.

At a news conference Thursday evening, Butte County Sheriff  Kory Honea identified the gunman as 56-year-old Glenn Litton who grew up in Butte County. Honea said Litton had written about committing this crime in response to American actions against Palestinians.

The sheriff's office released surveillance photos of Litton arriving at the Feather River  Adventist School just after noon on Wednesday Dec. 4 for a tour of the school under the ruse that he wanted to enroll a child. He spoke to the principal and received a tour of campus. The principal told investigators it was a cordial visit with no indication of hostility.

As Litton was leaving campus and headed toward the parking lot, Sheriff Honea said Litton suddenly changed direction and started walking toward the playground where children were headed back to class after a break. The surveillance photo shows Litton reaching under his jacket, into his waistband where he apparently had a handgun.

Litton started shooting with the handgun, hitting two children before taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Sheriff Honea said Roman Mendez, age 6, was shot two times, and Elias Wolford, age 5, was shot once. Both boys are in kindergarten and remain in critical condition at a trauma center in Sacramento.

According to Sheriff Honea, Litton had also made an appointment to visit the Seventh-Day Adventist school in Red Bluff on Thursday. Investigators say that was his alternative target.

Litton had attended the Seventh-Day Adventist school in Paradise as a child. The sheriff' said they investigated if the gunman Litton targeted the school due to its religious affiliation and obtained his writings describing his motive for the attack.

"Information that is most probative to why he chose this school is this statement right here," Honea said "It reads 'Countermeasure involving child executions has now been imposed at the Seventh-Day Adventist school in California, United States by the International Alliance. Lieutenant Glenn Litton of the Alliance, carried out countermeasure in necessitated response to America's involvement in Genocide and Oppression of Palestinians along with attack towards Yemen."

Sheriff Honea found no evidence of an organization called the International Alliance. He said Litton suffered from mental health issues and had a long criminal history. He had served prison time, mostly for identity theft, and stealing.

Action News Now asked Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey if Litton had survived, would he have been charged with religious hate crimes because he gunned down two children at a Christian school and had mentioned the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in his writing. Ramsey said it's "possible," but added it would be speculative.

The FBI wants to learn about Litton's beliefs and ideology from people who knew him. He was recently homeless. He had been staying at hotels and was seen near the Motel 6 in Chico Wednesday morning before the shootings.  He was also known to work out at local gyms, If you have information about Glenn Litton, contact the FBI, at 1-800-CALL FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.