The suspected gunman who shot two students before shooting himself Wednesday at Evergreen High School has died, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Wednesday night.
A fourth person was injured, though that individual was not shot, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley told reporters.
Zoom out: The Colorado school shooting unfolded just two weeks after a shooter opened fire at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, killing two children and injuring more than a dozen others.
Flashback: Colorado has a tragic legacy of school shootings, with the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Littleton becoming a national flashpoint for school safety.
Two students died after a shooting at Arapahoe High School in 2013, and another student was fatally shot at STEM School Highlands Ranch in 2019.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday night that the suspected shooter who opened fire on two students at Evergreen High School before taking his own life has passed away.
Overview: According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting occurred on campus just before 12:30 pm, both inside and outside the school, which has more than 900 students and is located roughly 30 miles southwest of Denver.
The suspected shooter and the three students were brought to CommonSpirit St. Lakewood’s Anthony Hospital.
Spokesman Lindsay Radford informed Axios Denver that one patient was still in critical condition as of Wednesday night, while another had been moved to a different facility and upgraded to stable condition.
According to Jacki Kelley, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, a fourth person was hurt but not shot.
Zoom in: Authorities confirmed Wednesday evening that the suspected shooter, a young male with a handgun, had self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing on classmates. Information about the victims and his age have not been disclosed.
The FBI was among the federal law enforcement agencies that responded to the incident. According to officials, local authorities responded to the alert within two minutes.
Current situation: To find out more about the suspect and his motivation, investigators intend to search his house, vehicle, and locker, according to Kelley.
Many of the students who saw the shooting are also being interviewed.
“Students should be able to attend school safely and without fear across our state and nation,” say Colorado Gov. In a statement, Jared Polis said he was keeping a careful eye on the situation.
According to a statement on Colorado U. A. Sen. Michael Bennet declared that he was “horrified” to learn of the incident.
Zoom out: The Colorado school shooting happened only two weeks after a shooter killed two children and injured over a dozen others at a Minneapolis Catholic school.
Rewind: Colorado has a terrible history of school shootings, with the Littleton Columbine High School massacre in 1999 emerging as a national hot spot for school safety.
In 2013, two students lost their lives in a shooting at Arapahoe High School, and in 2019, another student was shot and killed at STEM School Highlands Ranch.
Editor’s note: New information has been added throughout this story.
