Denver High School Shooting Manhunt Ended: Latest Updates

TThe manhunt for a student suspected of shooting dead two Denver high school administrators is over, authorities announced Wednesday night after law enforcement officers combing the woods found a body near where the suspect’s abandoned car was found earlier in the day.

The shooting, which took place at East High School, was reported to police just before 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Two faculty members were reportedly shot and injured by a student after they found a handgun on the student during a routine search related to the student’s past behavioral problems.

The suspect fled the campus after the shooting and his vehicle was later found in a mountainous area about 50 miles southwest of the Colorado capital. Away 5:56 p.m, the suspect remained at large, and several local and federal agencies, including the FBI, helped with the prosecution. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned that the suspect was “armed and dangerous” and asked residents to keep an eye out.

But at a news conference just after 8 p.m., Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw informed the media that a body had been found, though he could not yet confirm the body’s identity or reveal the cause of death. Still, McGraw said the community no longer needed to shelter and “should feel relieved that we came up here and solved the problem.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news conference Wednesday that it was “devastating” to hear about the shooting: “Our schools are too often scenes of gun violence and are not safe places for our children to learn.” Pierre added that President Joe Biden recently announced action to end gun violence, but as he said in the State of the Union, “Congress has to do something.”

What do we know about the suspect?

in one Bulletin wanted Issued after the shooting, police identified the suspect as 17-year-old Austin Lyle – whom they reportedly wanted to charge with attempted manslaughter.

“This particular student actually had a security plan where he was to be searched every day at the beginning of the school day,” Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas told reporters at a news conference. Thomas said previous searches had found no weapons on him.

Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero declined to provide details on why Lyle had a safety plan, but said such plans are “very nuanced” and based on an individual’s “past educational and behavioral experiences.”

According to the Associated Press, Cherry Creek School District spokeswoman Lauren Snell said Lyle was transferred to East High School after being expelled for violating rules at a high school in nearby Aurora last school year.

What do we know about the victims?

A Denver Health Hospital spokesman confirmed the victims’ identities as Jerald Mason and Eric Sinclair. Mason has been fired while Sinclair remains in serious condition.

According to East High School’s website, Sinclair was the dean of culture at the school while Mason was the coordinator of restorative practices.

Does the area have a history of violence?

Just last month, 16-year-old student Luis Garcia was shot in his car in front of the school and died weeks later. The incident prompted students to march to the Colorado State Capitol in early March to demand a gun safety law.

CBS News Colorado also reported that firearm crimes in Denver public schools have increased based on their review of police data, particularly after the public school board voted to remove stationed police officers in 2020. In 2018, nine serious assaults involving firearms were reported to police; In 2022 there were 14.

According to a database of Washington post.

How is the school reacting?

Marrero said classes at East High School were canceled for the rest of the week. He added that after the incident, two armed officers will be stationed at the school until the end of the school year.

in one opinionMayor Hancock admitted the removal of the stationed police officers was “a mistake,” adding that he was willing to work with Denver public schools to find a solution.

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