1 dead and 7 injured, 2 suspects in custody after shooting at STEM School in Highlands Ranch – By Kirk Mitchell, Kieran Nicholson, Elise Schmelzer and Saja Hindi (Denver Post) / May 7 2019
Douglas County sheriff’s deputies are searching the school
A student shot at the STEM School in Highlands Ranch has died, according to Denver7, and another seven students were injured in the gunfire that erupted Tuesday afternoon inside the school.
Two male students, one who is an adult and one who is a juvenile, are in custody, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said.
The suspects went “deep inside the school” and engaged in two locations, he said. The suspects used at least one handgun but it was unknown what other weapons might have been used.
Police are still searching the school, but do not believe there are any other suspects, Douglas County Undersheriff Holly Nicholson-Kluth said at a news conference.
Deputies are clearing the school, which has about 1,850 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade, room by room, she said.
The reports of shots fired came at 1:53 p.m., according to a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tweet. Deputies and police officers who already “were on scene almost immediately,” Nicholson-Kluth said. They entered the school, found some sort of “struggle,” and took two suspects into custody, Nicholson-Kluth said.
Sheriff’s officials have not described the extent of the injuries, but have not reported any deaths.
Littleton Adventist Hospital said it has received five patients from the shooting. As of 5 p.m., two remained in serious condition and three had been discharged.
SkyRidge Medical Center confirmed it has two patients from the school in stable condition, which a spokeswoman said means their injuries aren’t life-threatening.
https://twitter.com/EliseSchmelzer/status/1125870006955208704
About a mile away, parents are gathering at the Northridge Recreation Center as they wait to be reunited with their children. The scene was chaotic with cars parked in bike lanes. Inside, hundreds of parents were checking their phones for updates from their children, law enforcement and the media. Some parents crying.
The crowd cheered when a Colorado State Patrol trooper told them two suspects were in custody. Parents were being into groups alphabetically by last name so their children could be brought to them.
“I’m just trying not to vomit or cry,” said one mother.
Brian Jones, whose son Asher is in second grade at the STEM School, said he dashed to the school after his boss told him about reports of a shooting. Jones arrived to see heavily armed sheriff’s deputies headed inside.
After about an hour, Jones saw Asher walk out of a classroom with fellow students. He yelled to his son to let him know his father was there.
“It’s nerve-wracking,” Jones said. “There were lots of parents and lots of kids crying.”
Buses were lining up at the school to take students to their parents. Law enforcement officials were asking for patience.
Matt Murphy already was on his way to pick up his daughter, 11, and son, 9, from the school when his wife called to tell him “something was going on.” When he pulled up, there was chaos rather the normal line of cars waiting to for students to be released.
He talked to his daughter, Madelyn, and she told him that she was OK.
“It’s just too bad that we have to worry about this,” Murphy said. “I know my kids and their friends are OK, but I know there are people who are not.”
Nicholson-Kluth said that multiple ambulances are still responding to the scene. A flight for life helicopter has landed.
The sheriff’s office is warning people to stay away from the school at 8773 S. Ridgeline Blvd.
“There are just too many rescue units in the area,” Nicholson-Kluth said.
The STEM School is on lockdown, according to the Douglas County School District. All other Highlands Ranch schools are on lockout, the district said.
Parents are being asked to go to Northridge Recreation Center at 8800 South Broadway to pick up their children.
STEM school incident: still getting info, believe 2 injured. Please find other routes. Media staging now on south side of AMC!
— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) May 7, 2019
“Unstable situation, shots fired at STEM school at Ridgeline and Plaza,” the sheriff’s office tweeted minutes after receiving the call of shots fired.
Several South Metro Fire Rescue units have been called to the school for assistance.
Nate Jones, spokesman for the Douglas County School District, said the STEM school is on lockout status and between 25 and 30 schools in Highlands Ranch have been placed on lockout status.
Jones said he does not have any information about any students or teachers who may have been shot.
“We’re currently waiting for law enforcement to brief us,” he said.
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/05/07/stem-school-shooting-highlands-ranch-douglas-county/
