UPDATED: Denver school shooting: Suspect found dead
March 22, 2023
Two school officials were shot at Denver’s East High School in a school shooting on Wednesday morning. Several shots were fired in an office area in the front of the school.
The suspect, a student at the high school, was reportedly being patted down or searched before shooting two school deans.
The suspect reportedly had a “Safety Plan” in place where they would be checked before entering the building every morning. This plan was put into effect after the student had previously been expelled from another district for weapons.
The suspect reportedly fled, and a search for them was conducted away from the school.
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In the summer of 2020, the Denver Public Schools board of education removed “student resource officers” — armed police officers who had previously been present in school buildings. This decision has been controversial throughout the city. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock stated that the officers will be reinstated and that removing them was a “mistake.”
About two hours afterward, Denver Public Schools said they received clearance from the Denver Police Department to start releasing students from the school, which was on lockdown.
The shooting comes six weeks after a 16-year-old student was fatally shot in his car just outside of East High, prompting a school-led walkout to the Colorado State Capitol building advocating for increased gun safety measures.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis released a statement via Twitter around 2 p.m. on the shooting:
“We know that the two victims have been hospitalized and we pray for their health and swift recovery,” Polis said. “Our students should and must be able to attend school without fear for their safety. Their parents deserve the peace of mind that their children are safe in classrooms and teachers should be able to work safely and without harm.”
Update: March 23
The Park County Coroner’s office announced on Thursday that a dead body found Wednesday night in neighboring Park County was that of 17-year-old suspect Austin Lyle.
