Washington state school shooting: Hundreds attend Marysville church service in tribute to victims

Gunman shot a schoolgirl dead and wounded four, including his cousins, before killing himself

It was unclear whether Jaylen Fryberg killed himself deliberately or accidentally (AP)

Dozens of mourners gathered at a church last night in tribute to a schoolgirl who was shot dead by a student before he shot himself in Marysville, Washington.

More than 100 people attended The Grove Church for a prayer service after student and football player Jaylen Fryberg shot and killed a young girl yesterday before turning the firearm on himself.

Fryberg, 15, had took a handgun out of his backpack and opened fire at 10.39am local time in the Marysville-Pilchuck school canteen before killing himself four minutes later.

Two boys and two girls were also wounded in the shooting and have remained in critical condition at Providence Regional Medical Centre in nearby city Everett.

The shooter is known as the son of a prominent family in the Tulalip tribe of the Native Americans and he is said to have been upset over a relationship break-up.

Two of the wounded victims are named as the gunman's cousins Andrew Fryberg, 15, and Nate Hatch, 14.

Cesar Zatarain, 16, had said that Fryberg was also involved in at least one fistfight two weeks before at the school of around 2,500 students.

The gunman was also described as an avid hunter and is pictured on social media showing off an .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire rifle that his parents gave him but was not used in the shooting.

Marysville Police Chief Rick Smith, at a news conference last night, declined to discuss Fryberg or possible motives behind the shooting, saying he would not "dramatize someone who perpetrated a violent crime and cruel act in a place where children should be safe."

Herman Williams Sr., chairman of the Tulalip tribe Board of Directors, issued a statement late Friday saying that “tribal members” were involved in the shooting.

"I am deeply saddened by the terrible tragedy in our local school district," he said.

"The fact that tribal members were involved makes it extremely hard to respond to any inquiries until we are aware of all the circumstances."

There have been 23 fatal shootings in the US since August 2013, according to a list compiled by Everytown.org, a gun safety group that monitors school shootings.