Over 100 police officers from nearby areas hurried to the school to provide help. (Photo: AP)
A student opened fire on two classmates Wednesday at Evergreen High School in Colorado. Authorities said he then shot himself. He later died.
The shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. at the school, located 30 miles west of Denver in the Rocky Mountain foothills.
Shots inside and outside the school
The gunfire erupted both inside and outside the building. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley said officers reached the school quickly. They found the shooter within five minutes. No officers fired any shots during the incident.
More than 100 police officers rushed to the school. The heavy response reflected painful memories of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in the same county, where 14 people died.
Injured students in hospital
Two teens were taken to St. Anthony Hospital. At first, doctors listed them in critical condition. Later, one student improved to stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Hospital officials declined to release their ages.
Parents and community in shock
Evergreen High has over 900 students and sits near a forested area. After the shooting, parents gathered at a nearby elementary school to reunite with their children.
Parent Wendy Nueman said she panicked when her 15-year-old daughter didn’t answer her phone. The teen eventually called back from a borrowed phone. “She just said she was OK. She couldn’t hardly speak,” Nueman said, fighting tears.
Resident Don Cygan sheltered 18 students who fled the school. The retired educator took down their names and reassured them. His wife, a retired nurse, treated some for shock. “I hope they feel like they ran to the right house,” he said.
Community shaken
Evergreen, a town of about 9,300, is often seen as a quiet place. Residents said the violence shattered that sense of safety. “We feel like we live in a little bubble here. Obviously, no one is immune,” Nueman said.
The investigation continues as police work to learn more about the shooter and the events that unfolded.
