Gunman takes hostages at Colorado high school
dgrm...@telus.net
Gunman takes hostages at Colorado high school *
Reportedly fired shot when teacher refused his command
--Rocky Mountain News, Denver
September 27, 2006
BAILEY - A gunman took at least five students hostage at Platte
Canyon High school today, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of
students amid reports that several shots had been fired, authorities
said.
Three hostages were released uninjured, CBS 4 News reported from the
scene.
Lance Clem, spokesman for the state's Department of Public Safety
described the gunman as an adult, but had no other details.
The students taken hostage were in an English college prep class
There were no immediate reports of injuries at the schools in a narrow,
winding canyon carved by the South Platte River about 35 miles
southwest of Denver. The two schools have an enrollment of about 770
students, with 460 in the high school.
The evacuation of the high school and the nearby Fitzsimmons Middle
School came after a loud noise, said Jan Howard,
a secretary to the superintendent of schools.
"I don't know what the noise was," she said. She said students were
taken to a safe location, but predicted parents would not be able to
immediately reach them because U.S. Highway 285 - the only route in
and out of town - had been shut down.
Adjoining Jefferson County sent a bomb squad and SWAT team to help,
sheriff's spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said.
"We have some information that several shots have been fired," she
said.
At Beth's Market, a few miles from the high school, assistant manager
Barbara Bowers said law enforcement from four different counties has
arrived along with two ambulances. She said a Flight-for-Life chopper
was parked in Bailey.
"All we're hearing is that there was a shooting at the high school
and he might have explosives in his backpack," said Bowers.
She said Jefferson County brought in a large metal tank, used to
contain explosives.
"They are evacuating the middle school right now. The district sent
buses down there. The high school students have been gathered in the
gym," said Bowers.
Parents have been told that all the children will be brought to Deer
Creek Elementary school and parents with identification will be able to
pick them up there.
Jefferson County authorities are all too familiar with school attacks:
The sheriff's office handled the 1999 attack at Columbine High School
in which two students killed 13 people before taking their own lives.
"I am just really upset," said Sherry Husen, whose son plays on the
high school football team and was told not to return to
school from his part-time job. She said her husband called to tell her
there was a shooting at the school.
"I'm just terrified. I'm terrified," she said. "I know so many kids
in that school."
The family moved to Bailey from suburban Denver about 14 years ago.
"We moved up here for the mountain solitude, and I just never thought
this would happen in this school, but it happens
everywhere," she said. "I don't know what else to say."
At the El Rio De Juan restaurant, Josie Bubois said diners were
listening to the news and traffic was backed up for miles. The
restaurant is about five miles north of the school.
Dozens of cars were also parked near the Platte Canyon Fire Protection
station on the road leading to the high school and parents stood by the
road, waiting for news.
Cherrie Vandergrift, whose daughter is a junior said she heard that
three girls from a college prep English class were being held hostage.
She said her daughter may be in that class.
"I'm just really scared. I'm not sure whether it is her class or
not," said Vandergrift.
Several parents who had children at Columbine High School during the
shootings there joined the Bailey parents and offered support. The
parents declined to give their names.
Barb Janak who has three children at the high school said she received
good news from a friend who is a gym teacher.
"He's seen my children and they're fine," said Janak. "They're in
lockdown at the gym.
Other schools in the area were put in lockdown, meaning students would
not be allowed to leave until administrators determined it was safe. A
spokeswoman for Jefferson County schools, Lynn Setzer, said she
didn't believe students in nearby Conifer and elsewhere were in
danger.
Students at four Jeffco Schools that were on lockdown earlier today,
were later cleared to go home at the regularly scheduled time. The
schools affected are: Conifer High School, West Jefferson Middle
School, West Jefferson Elementary School and Elk Creek Elementary
School.
Jeffco School officials have determined that students will be safe to
go home on school busses this afternoon and the lockdowns have been
lifted.
Kimberly Langston of Swedish Medical Center in suburban Denver said the
hospital's emergency department was put on alert but had not received
word if it would receive any patients.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.