Gunman kills self at Colorado high school; two other students shot

[GlidingWings]

By M. Alex Johnson, Staff Writer, NBC News

A quick-thinking teacher was credited with saving lives Friday by trying to lure a gunman away from teenagers at a Colorado high school, where he wounded two fellow students before killing himself, authorities said.

One of the students, a 15-year-old girl, was critically wounded and was in surgery after the gunman shot her at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said initial reports that the student confronted the gunman turned out not to be true.

The second injured student was treated for a minor gunshot wound and released from the hospital. 

The shooter, a male student, appeared to be seeking revenge against a specific teacher after an earlier confrontation, Robinson said. He said the gunman said he was looking for the teacher by name when the incident began about 12:33 p.m. (2:33 p.m. ET).

 

"The teacher exited the school immediately, which was, in my opinion, the most important tactical decision that could have been made," Robinson said. "That was a very wise tactical decision to try to take the student with him."

An army of officers responded, having dramatically changed their standing orders after the deaths of 12 students and a teacher 14 years ago at Columbine High School — just about 10 miles away. Instead of waiting for backup, they rushed in immediately.

They found the shooter in a classroom about 20 minutes after they began their search, Robinson said. He said investigators knew his identity and were talking to his family, even as his body remained inside the school Friday night. 

Robinson said two devices similar to Molotov cocktails were also found in the building, one of which created a cloud of smoke and the other of which was disarmed. As darkness fell, SWAT officers with dogs were still at the school.

Police, sheriff's deputies and agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives obtained a search warrant and barreled into a home about 4 miles from the school, looking for any other possible weapons or clues.

No one appeared to be home, a neighbor said.

"An ATF agent said we should stay in the house," she told NBC station KUSA of Denver. "I didn't ask any questions."

'I was just freaking out'

A janitor first spotted the gunman and alerted authorities. The man, who said he wanted to be identified only as Fabian, said the gunman was running side to side, kind of military style."

"I looked to see if there was a gun," Fabian told KUSA. "It was a shotgun."

 

"When he went into the library, he said, 'Where is Murphy?'" Fabian said. 

Robinson confirmed that the gunman was armed with a shotgun.

Students described a scene of terror when the shooting started.

"I heard three shots, and then the school went into lockdown," Camden Flinders, 14, a freshman, told NBC News. "I saw the blood in the study center and in the gym. We could see blood on the floor. ...

"We went on lockdown for about 20 to 30 minutes. There was big line of police and blood splatters by the gym and the study center," he said.

Madison Berry, a senior at the school, said she had taken classes with the gunman.

"He was very outspoken — always involved with class discussion," she said. "So it was kind of odd to see that he was the one who did this."

"You would never expect this to happen at such a great school as Arapahoe," she added.

Parents were being asked to gather at nearby schools and churches, the sheriff's office said. They dropped whatever they were doing to rush to the scene — one was seen in full medical scrubs, as though he had just raced out of a doctor's office, KUSA reported.

Camden Flinders' father, Marcus Flinders, was working at an area Latter-day Saints temple when he got the news from a fellow congregant. 

"I broke down. I thought my son was one of the ones who was injured," he said. "I was pretty much crying. It was really traumatic."

 

'A traumatic situation'
Authorities said that while they had no indication of a second shooter, they proceeded as though there might have been one as a matter of caution. Students were led out of the building with their arms in the air, some of them being patted down by police.

"The kids have been through a traumatic situation," Robinson said. "We need to ensure that anyone we evacuate isn't part of our problem. We're doing the evacuation slowly and deliberately."

President Barack Obama was briefed about the shooting, White House officials said. 

Arapahoe High School, with 2,000 students, is an affluent suburb of Denver in the same county where James Eagan Holmes is accused of having killed 12 people in a movie theater in the town of Aurora last year.

Asked whether the shooting might have some connection to Saturday's anniversary of the deadly shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Robinson replied simply, "No."

Tom Costello, Pete Williams, Azhar Fateh, Simon Moya-Smith and Geoff Tofield contributed to this report.

 

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/13/21893157-gunman-kills-self-at-colorado-high-school-two-other-students-shot?lite

[missmuffet]

We are seeing so much violence,evil and destruction in our world.About the time I hear something that is the worst I hear something that tops that 

[Waiting2BwithHim]

I would like to have the following questions answered..

 

After seeing all these shootings happening at various schools around the nation aren't they supposed to have some security

standing at the doors especially at the high schools?

 

Next is how yet again did this guy get into the school especially with a rifle and no one noticed he had it?

 

If he was just getting revenge on the teacher how is it that he shot other students?

 

Seeing that he took his own life and causing a traumatic situation ending with taking his own life why are parents not keeping a closer

eye on these kids to make sure that everything is alright with on a daily basis?

Do they not know it is not against the law to have a close relationship with their kids?

 

Now that one girl I read is in critical condition who ends up paying for her hospital bill which will now be through the roof?

 

Does not anyone see these signs as something that needs immediate attention? This is turning out it seems to be a trend or the "in" thing to do now?

 

Dear Lord please look after those that were hurt no matter what condition they may be in at the school shooting in Colorado today.

Please give some wisdom and knowledge to those in authority to take care of this situation to make it sure it doesn't happen anymore.

Let there be prayers answered for this situation if any are given to you to handle that may be of a happy ending.

Let there not be more broken families sitting in sorrow and suffering if they don't believe in you that you will provide them to show

that you really are the one and only Lord Jesus Christ full of mercy and love. This I pray Amen.

[MrsRational]

Improve mental health, restrict access to firearms. Problem greatly diminished.

[ayin jade]

Improve mental health, restrict access to firearms. Problem greatly diminished.

 

Most of the shootings like this occur in states with prohibitive firearm restrictions. The mayor of chicago, at a press conference touting his firearm restrictions had to duck while shots were fired lol. 

 

China forbids guns, and they have problems with multiple homicides related to the use of knives. The day of sandy hook shootings, china had a man enter a school and slice up multiple children. Some died. 

 

Guns are banned in Mexico. Last I heard was that over 60,000 people were murdered in Mexico in the last few years. About the same number are missing and not accounted for yet. 

 

Limiting guns doesnt solve the problem. 

[missmuffet]

It is sad that people who are not mentally stable can get a gun.They get them illegally.They are easy to come by. Even those who are usually mentally stable but have a horrible temper than go off and kill someone.It is in the paper often. 

[MrsRational]

Improve mental health, restrict access to firearms. Problem greatly diminished.

 

Most of the shootings like this occur in states with prohibitive firearm restrictions. The mayor of chicago, at a press conference touting his firearm restrictions had to duck while shots were fired lol. 

 

China forbids guns, and they have problems with multiple homicides related to the use of knives. The day of sandy hook shootings, china had a man enter a school and slice up multiple children. Some died. 

 

Guns are banned in Mexico. Last I heard was that over 60,000 people were murdered in Mexico in the last few years. About the same number are missing and not accounted for yet. 

 

Limiting guns doesn't solve the problem.

 

I own three guns.

 

In no place did I say anyone should ban firearms or that doing so would eliminate murder, so please don't straw man my argument.. I said improving mental health and restricting firearms would greatly diminish the problem. One quarter of Canadians own firearms and gun violence here isn't nearly the level it is in the U.S. due to mostly intelligent  gun control. Criminals and psychotic people are almost unable to acquire a gun except through illegal channels. The kind of criminals who have the contacts to get illegal guns are usually not the types who shoot up malls or schools.

Edited January 3, 2014 by MrsRational

[Guest shiloh357]

We are seeing so much violence,evil and destruction in our world.About the time I hear something that is the worst I hear something that tops that 

One only need look at the senseless violence propagated in the violent video games, movies and other forms of entertainment these kids are exposed to.  Besides that, kids are desensitized to the value of human life. 

 

Growing up today the technology age has really caused society value people less and value self more. 

[Fez]

 

We are seeing so much violence,evil and destruction in our world.About the time I hear something that is the worst I hear something that tops that 

One only need look at the senseless violence propagated in the violent video games, movies and other forms of entertainment these kids are exposed to.  Besides that, kids are desensitized to the value of human life. 

 

Growing up today the technology age has really caused society value people less and value self more. 

 

And there you have it!

 

One look at the Fast and Furious video game will convince you that this is the truth.

 

Let a kid play that day in and day out, add a teacher who he hates, give him easy access to a gun, and he see's his problem being easily solved.

[Guest shiloh357]

 

 

We are seeing so much violence,evil and destruction in our world.About the time I hear something that is the worst I hear something that tops that 

One only need look at the senseless violence propagated in the violent video games, movies and other forms of entertainment these kids are exposed to.  Besides that, kids are desensitized to the value of human life. 

 

Growing up today the technology age has really caused society value people less and value self more. 

 

And there you have it!

 

One look at the Fast and Furious video game will convince you that this is the truth.

 

Let a kid play that day in and day out, add a teacher who he hates, give him easy access to a gun, and he see's his problem being easily solved.

 

and its not just the games.  The movies and music out there is horrible and promotes a lot of really disgusting things.