The Latest: 1 suspect in Colorado school shooting identified

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The Latest: 1 suspect in Colorado school shooting identified

The Associated Press

May 07, 2019 08:48 PM

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Armed police officers and others are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Authorities said several people were injured and a few suspects were in custody. (Courtney Harper via AP)


HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo.

The Latest on a school shooting in suburban Denver (all times local):

9:40 p.m.

Authorities have released the name of an 18-year-old student accused of opening fire with a classmate inside a charter school in an affluent suburb of Denver, killing a teenager and wounding eight others.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed late Tuesday that Devon Erickson was taken into custody after the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch. The other suspect is a juvenile whose name has not been released.

Sheriff Tony Spurlock says the gunmen were both students at the school and that he had no information about whether anyone was targeted. At least a handgun was recovered, but Spurlock didn’t release additional information about other weapons.

The public charter school has more than 1,850 students in kindergarten through 12th grades.

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This story has been corrected to show the suspect’s identity was confirmed Tuesday.

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9:20 p.m.

A Colorado man says his 17-year-old son was shot three times at a suburban Denver school but is expected to make a full recovery.

Fernando Montoya told KMGH-TV his son said one of the shooters pulled a gun from a guitar case and began firing in a classroom. Montoya says his son doesn’t believe he was targeted.

“Thank God he is fine,” Montoya said. “Even though he got shot, he’s OK. He’s going to walk out on his feet, so I’m glad. We’re so lucky.”

“It’s hard to believe that someone in the classroom is going to have a weapon and is just going to open fire like nothing,” Montoya said.

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7 p.m.

Authorities say an 18-year-old male student was killed in a shooting at a suburban Denver school.

The Douglas County sheriff’s office confirmed the death in a tweet Tuesday but didn’t identify the student killed in the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch.

The death appears to be separate from the eight people who were treated at hospitals.

Two students are listed in serious condition, two are listed as stable with injuries that are not life-threatening, one is in good condition and three have been released.

Authorities have taken two students into custody after the shooting in the affluent community of Highlands Ranch near where two students shot and killed 13 people at Columbine High School 20 years ago.

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6:20 p.m.

The White House says its prayers are with those affected by a shooting at a suburban Denver school.

Eight people were injured in Tuesday’s shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, and two students were taken into custody.

White House spokesman Judd Deere says President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting and that the White House has been in touch with state and local officials.

The White House also thanked law enforcement officials and first responders for their “heroism.”

Deere noted that the shooting took place not far from Columbine High School, which recently marked the 20th anniversary of a shooting that killed 13 people.

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5 p.m.

Authorities say eight students were injured in a shooting a suburban Denver school, and several are in critical condition.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said at a news conference Tuesday that two shooters walked into the school and opened fire on students in two classrooms.

He said a number of students were shot and wounded. The victims are all 15 and older.

Spurlock says the gunmen were both students at STEM School Highlands Ranch and that he had no information about whether anyone was targeted.

The sheriff says the shooters are in custody, believed to be a man and a minor boy.

Spurlock says at least a handgun was recovered, but he didn’t release other information on weapons.

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4:10 p.m.

School buses are delivering young children to a recreation center to be reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school injured at least seven people.

Some children were crying and others held hands with schoolmates as police officers, sheriff’s deputies and school administrators helped them off the buses in a light rain Tuesday.

Eleven buses carrying children pulled up to the center in a matter of minutes. An ambulance also arrived and dropped off a half-dozen children. None appeared to be physically wounded, but some were crying.

Parents also were streaming into the center, but no reunions with their children occurred outside in public view.

A man who appeared to be a pastor was walking among small groups of parents, praying with them.

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3:40 p.m.

Authorities say at least seven people have been injured in a shooting at a suburban Denver school.

Douglas County Undersheriff Holly Nicholson-Kluth said Tuesday that two suspects have been taken into custody in the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch.

She says there’s a possible eighth injury and doesn’t believe there are any other shooters, but tactical teams are still searching room by room.

Nicholson-Kluth didn’t know if there are fatalities or other details about the victims or the extent of their injuries.

She said the shooting started in the middle school area and shots were being fired as officers arrived.

The school is near a sheriff’s department substation, and authorities responded quickly. Students were being bused to a nearby recreational center to reunite with their families.

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3:10 p.m.

Authorities say two suspects are in custody following a shooting at a suburban Denver school that injured multiple students.

A Douglas County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman told reporters Tuesday that there could be a third suspect in the school, which is still being searched.

Lines of firetrucks, ambulances and law enforcement vehicles are at the scene, and medical helicopters have landed.

The shooting occurred at STEM School Highlands Ranch, a public charter school with more than 1,850 students in kindergarten through 12th grades.

It’s near a sheriff’s department substation, and authorities responded quickly and in force to the shooting.

Students are being taken from the school to be reunited with their parents at a nearby recreation center.

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2:50 p.m.

Authorities say a shooting at a suburban Denver school has injured two people.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says deputies are trying to find the shooter or shooters, calling it an “active and unstable scene.”

The shooting occurred at STEM School Highlands Ranch, a public charter school with more than 1,850 students in kindergarten through 12th grades.

The sheriff’s office directed parents to a recreational center to pick up their children.

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