( CNN ) -- How does a 14-year-old high school student , shot in the face and told he can never play football again , feel about his attacker ? Forgiving . In a tweet he sent from his hospital , Nate Hatch says he forgives his cousin -- the shooter who opened fire at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington on Friday . Two students , Zoe Galasso and Gia Soriano , were killed . Two others , in addition to Nate , are still hospitalized . The shooter , Jaylen Fryberg , took his own life . `` I love you and I forgive you jaylen rest in peace , '' Nate tweeted . Witnesses say Jaylen , a popular freshman , opened fire in the crowded cafeteria after inviting the five victims to the same lunch table . `` It 's our understanding he ( invited them ) via texting , '' Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary said Monday . Shortly before the shootings , Fryberg sent a selfie to his ex-girlfriend showing himself holding a gun , a law enforcement official told CNN . It is unclear if it was the same .40 caliber pistol used in the attack . Rampage ended when 'hero ' teacher confronted gunman . Critical condition . Of the three students who remain hospitalized , Shaylee Chuckulnaskit , 14 , and Andrew Fryberg , 15 , are in critical condition . Nate is in satisfactory condition . Like Nate , Andrew is also a cousin of the shooter . Don Hatch , Nate 's grandfather , said his grandson has another surgery scheduled for Thursday . Nate was walking with the aid of nurse when the grandfather went to see him Monday morning . But doctors told Nate he can never play football again due to his facial injuries , Hatch said . `` He just wants to let people know that he 's OK . He 's getting better , '' Hatch said . Nate himself tweeted , `` Worst pain ive ever felt in my life . '' Hatch said Jaylen 's family is struggling and like everyone else wants to know why this happened . 'It was n't just random ' Investigators in Marysville have not provided details , but students offered up accounts that painted a terrifying , chaotic picture . Fellow student Jordan Luton was finishing his lunch in the cafeteria when he heard a loud bang . He saw Jaylen go up to a table of students , `` came up from behind ... and fired about six bullets into the backs of them , '' Jordan told CNN . `` They were his friends , so it was n't just random . '' Share your perspective on guns with CNN iReport . Grief , disbelief . By all accounts , Jaylen was a popular student . Just a week ago , he had been named the high school 's freshman homecoming prince . `` It 's weird to think about , because you see him and he is such a happy person , '' sophomore Alex Pietsch said . `` You never really see him be so angry and so upset . ... It was just surprising to me that him , out of all people , would be the one . '' CNN 's Kevin Conlon , Pamela Brown , Jake Tapper and Evan Perez contributed to this report .
" Fryberg sent a selfie with a camera to an ex - girlfriend , law enforcement officer says . The killer used text messages to get them to sit at same lunch table , sheriff says .