Student, 18, slain in Colorado shooting
Two gunmen arrested after rampage at school
TWO students armed with guns burst into a science and technology school in the US state of Colorado and opened fire, killing one of their schoolmates and wounding seven others before being taken into custody.
Local police said an 18year-old male student was killed in the rampage.
Douglas County sheriff’s officials said Devon Erickson, 18, and a younger student walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch on Tuesday afternoon and opened fire on students in two classrooms, prompting students to run shouting through the halls or to hide out of sight as gunfire echoed through school. Several victims were last night in critical condition at local hospitals and in surgery.
“Two individuals walked into the STEM school, got deep inside the school, and engaged students in two separate locations,” Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said at a briefing.
The suspects were identified as students of the school.
The school serves students from kindergarten through to 12th grade. Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the school within two minutes of the first reports, Sheriff Spurlock said, and “engaged the suspects”.
Law enforcement officials declined to comment on a possible motive for the rampage, saying it was too early.
The White House said US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the shooting.
A man who identified himself as Fernando Montoya said his 17-year-old son was shot three times, and one of his friends was also wounded.
Mr Montoya said his son, who was released from hospital, told him one shooter walked into his classroom and opened fire. One shooter was already in the room, the son said.
The shooting occurred less than a month after the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in nearby Littleton.