HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — A “juvenile female” was identified as the second suspect in a shooting rampage at a suburban Denver school that left one student dead and eight others wounded, authorities said Wednesday.
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said Devon Erickson, 18, and the unnamed girl opened fire in two classrooms Tuesday at STEM School Highland Ranch, igniting chaos as students ran for cover and hid in closets and under desks.
Spurlock said deputies from a nearby substation were on the scene within two minutes.
“They immediately engaged the suspects and started rescuing the children who were injured,” Spurlock said at an early morning news conference.
Spurlock said investigators had not yet determined the motive for the attack that erupted shortly before 2 p.m. The shooters, armed with at least two handguns, entered through a middle-school entrance at the K-12 school specializing in math and science, Spurlock said.
Authorities did not exchange gunshots with the suspects before taking them into custody, he said. The public charter school, with more than 1,850 students, has no metal detectors, Spurlock said, adding that an armed security guard contracted by the school was on the campus.
All of the shooting victims are students ages 15 and older. The male student who died was 18 years old, Spurlock said. Three of the eight wounded remained hospitalized Wednesday, he said.
Robert Helfer, 13, was in math class when he heard a disturbance.
“Everyone thought it was a theater play at first. Then when we just started hearing banging and gunshots and cursing,” the seventh-grader said, his eyes red, his shaking hands twisting a plastic water bottle. “There was a body by the door when the police officer came to get us.”
“This is a terrible event,” Spurlock said. “This is something that nobody wants to happen in their community. We’re going to investigate that and we will get to the bottom of it to figure out how and what has occurred.”
A court hearing for Erickson was scheduled for later Wednesday. District Attorney George Brauchler said a hearing for the female suspect had not been set.
The assault came less than three weeks after the 20th anniversary of the shooting at nearby Columbine High School, where two teens fatally shot 12 students and a teacher. Tuesday’s tragedy was the fourth school shooting in Colorado since then.
Spurlock directed parents of STEM students to a recreational center to reunite with their children. Andrea Pedatto, 46, was installing a ceiling fan at her nearby home when she got the news her son”s school was under attack. Her husband burst into tears in frustration while she swung into action, grabbed their Yorkie, Stella, and headed to the center.
“I wasn’t panicking because they hadn’t given any details yet. It’s hard when you don’t know,” she said. “This is Colorado. We have school shootings.”
Pedatto counted herself lucky: she was able to collect her first-grader, Dax, 7, about three hours after the shooting. Other parents waited in the hot recreation center for the buses to deliver their kids, pacing the indoor walking track or sitting on the basketball court near a whiteboard reading “Kids currently ready for reunification” and 11 names.
Student Nui Giasolli on Wednesday told NBC’s “Today” show she was in her British Literature class when Erickson came in late. “He walked to the other side of the classroom where we also had another door and he opened the door. He walked back as if he was going to go back to his seat, then he walked back to the door and he closed it. The next thing I know he’s pulling a gun and he’s telling nobody to move,” she said.
She said another student lunged at the shooter, giving students time to hide under the desks or flee.
Many parents still in work uniforms held tight to their sobbing children, offering the reassurance of home-cooked dinners and the chance to get back belongings left behind in the evacuation.
“The heart of all of Colorado is with the victims and their families,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement.
“Our prayers are with the victims, family members, and all those affected by today’s shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Littleton, Colorado,” the White House said in a statement. “Tragically, this community and those surrounding it know all too well these hateful and horrible acts of violence.”
Residents in the area described frightened parents arriving amid confusion and worry.
“I heard a lot of loud bangs but then my boss’s dogs started barking. Next thing you know you hear all the cops coming in and all these kids running out,” said nanny Vanessa Valenzuela, 24, who was working across the street. “I kind of got scared when all these parents were just running into the school and you could tell they were all really upset.”
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, whose district includes Denver’s eastern suburbs, immediately called for legislative action.
“It is not enough to send thoughts and prayers, it is empty, it is weak, and it does an injustice to our children who are on the frontlines of this violence,” Crow said in a statement. “We must pass common-sense gun violence laws and ensure we are preparing our educators and law enforcement with the tools and resources necessary to create a safe and welcoming environment.”
Douglas County School District, which includes the STEM school, cancelled classes last month during an FBI manhunt for a woman “infatuated” with the Columbine shooting. The school is about eight miles from Columbine High School.
The STEM school will be closed for the remainder of the week, Superintendent Thomas S. Tucker said in a letter to parents that was also posted on the district’s Twitter account.
“We are a united family,” Tucker wrote. “We are here to support each and every one of you – students, parents and staff – and will continue to do so as long as needed. Together, we will get through this difficult time.”
As we here KNOW all these shootings are a program intended for a desired end which is to eliminate the 2nd Article. Just ask yourself why these shootings aren’t targeting the govt. criminals.
Different day same doo doo.
FF
we were told this was coming a day ago
same shit
same agenda
kinda getting old
“Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, whose district includes Denver’s eastern suburbs, immediately called for legislative action.
“It is not enough to send thoughts and prayers, it is empty, it is weak, and it does an injustice to our children who are on the frontlines of this violence,” Crow said in a statement. “We must pass common-sense gun violence laws and ensure we are preparing our educators and law enforcement with the tools and resources necessary to create a safe and welcoming environment.””
THANK YOU FOR CONVINCING ME THAT YOUR LEGISLATION IS MORE POWERFUL THAN GOD.CROW
IS A DEVOUT CHILD OF CAIN AND PROBABLY A MEMBER OF THE MOSSAD WHO ORGANIZED THIS FARCE.
“We must pass common-sense gun violence laws…”
There IS no such thing, and YOU have ZERO AUTHORITY to attempt as much.
what WE must do is HANG EVERY F%&KING jEWB#TCH TRAITOR LIKE YOU IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY!
COMMIE MAGGOT!!!