English
Authorities confirmed a tragic Colorado high school shooting on Wednesday that left one student dead and two others injured. The shooting unfolded at Evergreen High School, about 30 miles west of Denver in the Rocky Mountain foothills. Sheriff’s spokesperson Jacki Kelley said the incident began around 12:30 p.m. Both inside and outside the school, shots rang out. Responding officers found the shooter within five minutes. No police officers fired their weapons during the incident.
Hospital Reports on Victims
Doctors at St. Anthony Hospital said both victims were initially listed in critical condition. By evening, one teen was stable with non-life-threatening injuries, trauma director Dr. Brian Blackwood confirmed. The second victim remains hospitalized, though authorities withheld ages and further details.
Parents and Community in Shock
More than 100 officers from surrounding areas rushed to help. Parents anxiously gathered outside a nearby elementary school to reunite with their children. Wendy Nueman, whose daughter attends Evergreen High, said her 15-year-old called from a borrowed phone. “She just said she was OK. She couldn’t hardly speak,” Nueman told The Denver Post. Local resident Don Cygan sheltered 18 fleeing students in his home. A retired educator, he carefully recorded their names and reassured parents as they arrived. His wife, a retired nurse, treated students for shock. “I hope they feel like they ran to the right house,” Cygan said.
Lingering Trauma from Past Shootings
Jefferson County is no stranger to school violence. In 1999, the Columbine High School massacre, also in Jefferson County, claimed 14 lives. For many in Evergreen, Wednesday’s violence reopened deep wounds. Parents and students expressed disbelief. “We feel like we live in a little bubble here. Obviously, no one is immune,” Nueman said.
The Colorado high school shooting has once again shaken a community that thought it was safe. Authorities continue investigating the shooter’s motives as families mourn and hope for the victims’ recovery.
