An American high school student who shot dead two staff members at his school on Wednesday is being actively sought by police after he escaped.
The student pulled a gun during a search at the entrance to his East High School in Denver, Colorado (West) early this morning.
In response to an 911 call, police and paramedics “arrived at the scene quickly and discovered two adult males with gunshot wounds,” Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said.
The two injured, one seriously, were taken to the hospital.
The suspect was searched each morning upon his arrival at the high school, Ron Thomas explained at length, explaining that these types of procedures are generally put in place when there are concerns about past behavior.
The student, whose name has not been released, “is a young African American man who wears an Afro haircut and a hoodie with an astronaut on it” and is considered “armed and dangerous,” introduced the city’s mayor, Michael Hancock, in guard .
Classes have been canceled for the remainder of the week and armed police will be stationed at the high school through the end of the school year, Denver Public Schools official Alex Marrero said.
According to local newspaper The Denver Post, in 2020 the city’s school board decided to withdraw the officers guarding the facilities in connection with the large anti-racism demonstrations following the killing of African American George Floyd by a white police officer.
The presence of the agents was detrimental to the students of color, the council’s elected officials had argued.
Gun tragedies are rampant in the United States, where politicians have been unable to agree on stricter regulations despite widespread public support.