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Dead Colorado school shooter wanted 'revenge' on faculty member, sheriff says
Centennial, Colorado (CNN) -- A student who opened fire Friday inside a suburban Denver high school appears to have been seeking revenge against a faculty member because of a "confrontation or disagreement," the Arapahoe County sheriff said.
The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson, shot one student before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life, Sheriff Grayson Robinson told reporters.
The shooting began after the student walked into Arapahoe High School in Centennial with the intention of confronting a specific faculty member, Robinson said.
"The suspect has been found inside the school and he has deceased as a result of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Robinson said in one of his first statements after the shooting.
Authorities revised downward the number of students wounded in the shooting to one. Two students were previously reported to have suffered gunshot wounds. But Robinson said Friday night that an investigation concluded there was only one after it was discovered that blood on another person was from the sole victim.
One person -- a minor -- was taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital with a gunshot wound, Lauren Brendel, a hospital spokeswoman, told CNN.
Brendel did not release the age, gender and condition of the minor. But Robinson told reporters that the condition of a a 15-year-old girl who was shot was in critical condition after surgery.
Authorities descended on the school after news of the shooting broke -- on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The shooting also occurred roughly 10 miles from where Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and one teacher in a rampage at Columbine High School in April 1999 before killing themselves.
Pierson walked into Arapahoe High School carrying a shotgun and made no attempt to hide it, Robinson said. He then asked other students the whereabouts of a faculty member, he said.
A school janitor told CNN affiliate KMGH that he saw a student dressed in tactical gear running through the school.
"It just looked weird," the janitor, Fabian Llerenas, said. "He went in and I heard two pops. That's when I knew. I said, 'They are shooting in the school.'"
Llerenas said he called 911, and he then escorted the targeted faculty member out of the school.
"In my opinion, that was the most important tactical decision that could have been made," Robinson said. The faculty member "left that school in an effort to try to encourage the shooter to also leave the school."
Pierson's body was found later in a classroom, Robinson told reporters. The student appears to have acted alone, he said.
In addition to the shotgun, authorities found two Molotov cocktails inside the school, Robinson said.
One of the Molotov cocktails detonated, he said. The other was "rendered safe," Robinson said.
As part of the investigation, authorities also will be looking at school surveillance video, the sheriff said.
Investigators also are searching Pierson's car, his home and another home that he had access to, the sheriff said.
High school senior Frank Woronoff told CNN he had known Pierson since they were freshmen together.
"He was the last person I would expect to shoot up a high school. He was honestly incredibly humble and down to earth. He was a little geeky but in a charming way," he said. "So I don't know anyone who hates him really, so it came as a surprise -- to me at least."
The first sheriff's deputies and police officers arrived at Arapahoe and entered almost immediately after the shooting was reported, Robinson said.
While authorities hunted for the student gunman inside the school, students were locked in their classrooms.
Courtney Leytoldt told KMGH she saw a girl, covered in blood, running down the stairs yelling, "Help me, help me, there's a shooter."
Leytoldt said she was in yoga class and that her teacher told all the students to get into a closet to protect them.
Ninth-grader Whitney Riley was getting ready to grab her computer from her locker when the shooting began.
"We were having fun and laughing and then, all of a sudden, we heard a really loud bang," the 15-year-old told CNN.
"My teacher asked what it was and then we heard two more and we all just got up and screamed and ran into a sprinkler system room."
Inside the windowless room were five students and two teachers. "We were shaking, we were crying, we were freaking out," Riley said. "I had a girl biting my arm."
They soon heard people yelling, and walkie-talkies crackling, and then they heard police asking someone to drop the gun, put the gun down, and hold his arms up, she said.
She did not hear another gunshot, though the people doing the talking could have moved farther away, she said. Soon, they heard police ordering them out.
Colton Powers told CNN affiliate KDVR that he heard gunfire during his English class.
At that point, his teacher turned off the lights and locked the door.
(Cont'd)
SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/13/us/colorado-school-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson, shot one student before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life, Sheriff Grayson Robinson told reporters.
The shooting began after the student walked into Arapahoe High School in Centennial with the intention of confronting a specific faculty member, Robinson said.
"The suspect has been found inside the school and he has deceased as a result of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Robinson said in one of his first statements after the shooting.
Authorities revised downward the number of students wounded in the shooting to one. Two students were previously reported to have suffered gunshot wounds. But Robinson said Friday night that an investigation concluded there was only one after it was discovered that blood on another person was from the sole victim.
One person -- a minor -- was taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital with a gunshot wound, Lauren Brendel, a hospital spokeswoman, told CNN.
Brendel did not release the age, gender and condition of the minor. But Robinson told reporters that the condition of a a 15-year-old girl who was shot was in critical condition after surgery.
Authorities descended on the school after news of the shooting broke -- on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The shooting also occurred roughly 10 miles from where Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and one teacher in a rampage at Columbine High School in April 1999 before killing themselves.
Pierson walked into Arapahoe High School carrying a shotgun and made no attempt to hide it, Robinson said. He then asked other students the whereabouts of a faculty member, he said.
A school janitor told CNN affiliate KMGH that he saw a student dressed in tactical gear running through the school.
"It just looked weird," the janitor, Fabian Llerenas, said. "He went in and I heard two pops. That's when I knew. I said, 'They are shooting in the school.'"
Llerenas said he called 911, and he then escorted the targeted faculty member out of the school.
"In my opinion, that was the most important tactical decision that could have been made," Robinson said. The faculty member "left that school in an effort to try to encourage the shooter to also leave the school."
Pierson's body was found later in a classroom, Robinson told reporters. The student appears to have acted alone, he said.
In addition to the shotgun, authorities found two Molotov cocktails inside the school, Robinson said.
One of the Molotov cocktails detonated, he said. The other was "rendered safe," Robinson said.
As part of the investigation, authorities also will be looking at school surveillance video, the sheriff said.
Investigators also are searching Pierson's car, his home and another home that he had access to, the sheriff said.
High school senior Frank Woronoff told CNN he had known Pierson since they were freshmen together.
"He was the last person I would expect to shoot up a high school. He was honestly incredibly humble and down to earth. He was a little geeky but in a charming way," he said. "So I don't know anyone who hates him really, so it came as a surprise -- to me at least."
The first sheriff's deputies and police officers arrived at Arapahoe and entered almost immediately after the shooting was reported, Robinson said.
While authorities hunted for the student gunman inside the school, students were locked in their classrooms.
Courtney Leytoldt told KMGH she saw a girl, covered in blood, running down the stairs yelling, "Help me, help me, there's a shooter."
Leytoldt said she was in yoga class and that her teacher told all the students to get into a closet to protect them.
Ninth-grader Whitney Riley was getting ready to grab her computer from her locker when the shooting began.
"We were having fun and laughing and then, all of a sudden, we heard a really loud bang," the 15-year-old told CNN.
"My teacher asked what it was and then we heard two more and we all just got up and screamed and ran into a sprinkler system room."
Inside the windowless room were five students and two teachers. "We were shaking, we were crying, we were freaking out," Riley said. "I had a girl biting my arm."
They soon heard people yelling, and walkie-talkies crackling, and then they heard police asking someone to drop the gun, put the gun down, and hold his arms up, she said.
She did not hear another gunshot, though the people doing the talking could have moved farther away, she said. Soon, they heard police ordering them out.
Colton Powers told CNN affiliate KDVR that he heard gunfire during his English class.
At that point, his teacher turned off the lights and locked the door.
(Cont'd)
SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/13/us/colorado-school-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
I know absolutely nothing about guns and frankly, prefer it that way. For the amount of ammo being carried on this kid, maybe he didnt have a clue about it either? I bet the victim doesnt care if it was a shotgun or a pistol or an ar15 tho. Results she will live with if she lives, for the rest of her life.
Pump Feature? Run for the hills! A "pump" shotgun is one of the most standard guns in the world. As Glass said, you can remove the plug and put extra rounds in the gun. I haven't used my 870 Express in decades, but if memory strikes me right can hold 6 shells with one in the chamber.
Reloading a shotgun would take a considerable amount of time.
Last I heard, the young lady is still in critical condition, in a coma.
Reloading a shotgun would take a considerable amount of time.
Last I heard, the young lady is still in critical condition, in a coma.
“A shotgun with a pump feature?”
They’re probably just talking about a standard pump shotgun. The plug is easily removed so it can hold additional shells but I’ve never heard of a “Pump Feature” per se.
I haven’t heard an update on her.
They’re probably just talking about a standard pump shotgun. The plug is easily removed so it can hold additional shells but I’ve never heard of a “Pump Feature” per se.
I haven’t heard an update on her.
It was intended to not be a small thing from the amount of ammo the guy was carrying. A shotgun with a pump feature? Whatever that is and many many rounds of ammo and 3 molitof cocktails. I wonder the status of the young girl who got severe head injuries? Anyone hear?
She remains in critical condition. I believe she is still in a coma.
While one person injured is too many, this situation was somewhat less drastic in terms of injured/dead than others we've witnessed recently. Unfortunately, the media was no more helpful (or accurate) this time, than they've been in the past.
Instead of worrying about, and criticizing, everything someone else says, why don't we worry about that one girl that was shot and in critical condition? Has anyone seen anymore news about her? I haven't seen anything, but maybe I haven't looked in the right places.
Instead of worrying about, and criticizing, everything someone else says, why don't we worry about that one girl that was shot and in critical condition? Has anyone seen anymore news about her? I haven't seen anything, but maybe I haven't looked in the right places.
Atta boy Tiger!
I'm not crying. I do appreciate it.
Crybaby
I personally appreciate how the "news" was misrepresenting everything. The story "evolved" a lot... or the news just got on the air, said whatever they wanted and allowed themselves to stand corrected about 50 times.
Yeah, that beats accuracy any time.
Yeah, that beats accuracy any time.
And one million would have been even worse.
Must you be so foolish all of the time?
Must you be so foolish all of the time?
Of course you're right, Mike.
20 children being shot would have been a better story and far MORE tragic.
RELATIVELY SPEAKING, only 1 person being wounded is a good thing, as far as school shootings go. We're so used to hearing about 20-30-40-50 people being killed, in one sitting, that when I hear about only ONE person being shot, I think of it as a better thing (than 20-30-40-50 kids being shot).
Must you be argumentative and a troll ALL of the time?
20 children being shot would have been a better story and far MORE tragic.
RELATIVELY SPEAKING, only 1 person being wounded is a good thing, as far as school shootings go. We're so used to hearing about 20-30-40-50 people being killed, in one sitting, that when I hear about only ONE person being shot, I think of it as a better thing (than 20-30-40-50 kids being shot).
Must you be argumentative and a troll ALL of the time?
That's a strange book you read from.
One woman in a coma is relatively good news?
One woman in a coma is relatively good news?
"Happy ending", as in, there WEREN'T 20+ children shot to death.
Only ONE person wounded, besides the shooter, is good news in my book.
Still tragic, yes, but good news relatively.
Only ONE person wounded, besides the shooter, is good news in my book.
Still tragic, yes, but good news relatively.
Or following Cheney's lead?
Ridiculous....
Shotgun.... did he take Biden's advice?
Shotgun.... did he take Biden's advice?
School shooting victim in a coma
Claire Davis, the 17-year-old critically wounded in the shooting at a Colorado high school, is in a struggle for her life. She remains in critical condition, and her friends and family are asking for prayers. FULL STORY
http://www.cnn.com/
Claire Davis, the 17-year-old critically wounded in the shooting at a Colorado high school, is in a struggle for her life. She remains in critical condition, and her friends and family are asking for prayers. FULL STORY
http://www.cnn.com/
The wounded 15 year old girl is still in a coma which isn't exactly a happy ending.
For once, a happy ending, in reference to a school-shooting.
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