By Gauri Patel
Correspondent
A tragic school shooting at Evergreen High School, about 30 miles west of Denver, has left two students hospitalized and the community in shock, according to The Associated Press.
The incident, which occurred on Sept. 10, ended when the 16-year-old suspect, a student at the school, turned the gun on himself. He later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities identified the shooter as Desmond Holly. Investigators said Holly had been “radicalized by an extremist network,” though details about how that radicalization occurred will be released at a later date, according to NBC News. Officials are still searching for a motive and investigating how he obtained the revolver used in the attack.
The gunfire broke out shortly after 12:20 p.m., both inside and outside of the school, according to NBC News. Three of the students, including the suspected shooter and two victims, were rushed to the nearby St. Anthony Hospital in critical condition.
One of the victims, 18-year-old senior Matthew Silverstone, remains hospitalized. His family expressed gratitude for the community’s support and asked for privacy during his recovery, according to NBC News. The other victim, whose name has not been released, was treated and later discharged, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to CNN, Holly brought a significant amount of ammunition with him on the school bus that morning and roamed the campus while firing repeatedly, shooting out windows and lockers.
According to Jacki Kelley, public information officer for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, he was only stopped from causing greater harm because classroom doors had been locked during the lockdown.
Investigators have since obtained warrants for his phone, home and locker as they continue to piece together the events leading up to the attack.
More than 100 officers from across the Denver area responded to Evergreen High School as the situation unfolded, according to PBS.
The same sheriff’s office led the response to the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, where two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives. More than 20 people were wounded, and earlier this year, survivor Anne Marie Hochhalter died from complications tied to her injuries, raising the Columbine death toll to 14, according to NBC News.
During the chaos, 18 students fleeing the school reportedly took shelter at a nearby home, knocking on the door for help. Some said they could hear gunfire from inside before escaping through cafeterias or hallways, according to The Associated Press.
The owners of the home did what they could to support the students who sought refuge in their home. Don Cygan, a retired educator familiar with lockdown procedures, kept track of the students who arrived at his home and noted when their parents came for them. His wife, a former nurse, helped comfort the teens and tended to those showing signs of shock.
“I hope they feel like they ran to the right house,” he said to The Associated Press.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis condemned the violence, saying his administration would provide resources to help families and children recover from the tragedy.
“This kind of violence has absolutely no place in Colorado or anywhere, especially our schools, where kids should feel safe to learn and grow,” Polis said, according to CNN.
Senator Michael Bennet also reacted, calling the incident horrifying and stressing that “our children deserve to grow up in a country free from the trauma and terror of senseless gun violence.”
Local officials confirm that the investigation into Holly’s motives, his access to the firearm, and his extremist influences is ongoing.
