NATIONAL NEWS

Denver public schools close for mental health day after shooting, as armed guards prepare a return to campuses

Mar 24, 2023, 11:05 AM | Updated: May 21, 2023, 4:26 pm

Police investigate at Denver's East High School after a shooting there on Wednesday, March 22, 2023...

Police investigate at Denver's East High School after a shooting there on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Police said a student shot two adult male faculty members, and that a known suspect had left the school. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

(Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

(CNN) — Denver Public Schools are closed Friday after a shooting at a high school this week, and the district is taking steps to bring back armed guards to campuses, officials say.

Friday’s mental health break, ahead of a weeklong spring break, is meant “to allow us all to take a moment to pause and process the challenging events this year,” including the shooting at East High School and a district data breach announced earlier this year, district superintendent Alex Marrero said in a statement. An East High student also was fatally shot this year, CNN affiliate KMGH reported, and the school last month got false threats of violence.

Wednesday morning’s shooting unfolded at East High as 17-year-old Austin Lyle was undergoing a required pat down search, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said. Lyle was under a school safety plan that mandated he be searched upon entering the building, he said.

Two staff members were injured and hospitalized, officials said.

It was at least the 18th US school shooting this year at K-12 schools, colleges and universities, according to a CNN tally.

Lyle later fatally shot himself, police said. His body and car were found in the mountains about 50 miles southeast of Denver after a manhunt.

On Thursday, the district’s Board of Education suspended at least temporarily its ban on placing armed school resource officers or other armed security in schools.

That ban was “a mistake,” Denver Mayor MIchael Hancock said.

It was adopted almost two years ago in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in police custody in MInneapolis. Schools there voted to push police officers out of schools, and districts followed suit across the country, including in Denver.

East High students rallied Thursday at the nearby state Capitol against gun violence.

“I can’t even walk outside my house without feeling like I’m gonna die, or I’m gonna get shot,” Aubriana Acuna told CNN affiliate KMGH.

The shooting victims are Eric Sinclair, the school’s dean of culture, and Jerald Mason, a restorative practice coordinator in the dean’s office, a district spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

As of Wednesday, one of the victims was in critical condition, while the other was in stable condition after suffering serious injuries, Thomas said.

Lyle fled the school following the shooting, kicking off a manhunt that ended when he was found dead later that night, police said. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Park County coroner’s office said.

Hundreds of Denver Public School students crowded the Capitol on Thursday to demand gun reform in the wake of the recent shootings, KMGH reported.

“We have to be here because we don’t want this to happen again,” East High student Beckett Nelson Gardner told KMGH. “You don’t want to have to take time out of our school just to not be scared and horrified of what just happened to us.”

District temporarily lifts ban on armed security in schools

The district’s Board of Education unanimously voted on Thursday to temporarily suspend its ban on placing armed school resource officers or other armed security in schools, citing the Wednesday shooting at East High.

The ban will be suspended until June 30, according to the board’s motion, which directed the superintendent to ensure that school staff are not using armed officers to respond to disciplinary issues.

Marrero, the superintendent, said Wednesday that he was “committed” to having two armed police officers stationed at East High School during school hours through the end of the academic year, regardless of the official policy.

“I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions,” Marrero said in a letter to the board.

The superintendent said he doesn’t believe the ban on armed officers contributed to the shooting, saying such an officer “would have never patted down that student.”

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock praised the board’s decision in a tweet Thursday.

The board said the district lacks money to pay for additional armed security indefinitely. It directed Marrero to talk to Hancock to gain money for at east two armed police officers “and as many as two additional mental health professionals” in Denver high schools for the rest of the year.

Shooter was required to undergo daily pat downs

Lyle, who was identified by police as the shooter, underwent mandatory daily pat downs upon entering the school as part of a special school safety plan.

The police chief declined to explain why.

Lyle fled after firing several shots in an office area away from other students and staff, police said.

A multi-agency search followed, ending when the Jefferson County SWAT team found Lyle’s body around 8:15 p.m., not far from his car, Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said Thursday.

Authorities learned that Lyle liked to shoot and camp in the mountains near the town of Bailey, Colorado, McGraw told affiliate KUSA. Lyle’s car was found on the side a road there, and search crews, including K9 units, found his body about 300 yards from it.

Marrero said he has contacted Lyle’s parents.

“We all as educators came into this profession to support [and] help students thrive, and most importantly, provide them an opportunity to succeed,” Marrero said. “I can acknowledge we failed Austin as a district.”


The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

FILE - President Joe Biden talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as he departs the Cap...

Kevin Freking

Debt-ceiling deal: What’s in and what’s out of the agreement to avert US default

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached an agreement in principle on legislation to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a default.

1 day ago

Jared M. Boyce, 27, of Springville, Utah (Kootenai County Sheriff's Office)...

Michael Houck

Utah Patriot Front member will be sentenced for child pornography charges

A Utah man who was arrested last year for his involvement with a white nationalist group in Idaho has admitted to possessing child pornography.

1 day ago

Naomi Peña Villasano poses with a sash of the Mexican and American flags. (Daisy Jasmin Estrada Bo...

Rebekah Riess

Judge rules Colorado student cannot wear a sash with Mexican and American flags

A federal judge has ruled for a Colorado school district after a student sued to wear a sash reflecting the Mexican and American flags at graduation Saturday.

1 day ago

Horses come through the first turn during the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Chu...

Associated Press

2 horses die from injuries at Churchill Downs, bringing total to 12

Two horses have died the past two days following injuries at Churchill Downs. They are the 11th and 12th fatalities over the past month at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

1 day ago

Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, flanked by his staff, makes a statement at his off...

Acacia Coronado, Jim Vertuno and Jake Bleiberg

GOP-controlled Texas House impeaches Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton

The Texas House of Representatives has voted to impeach scandal-plagued Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.

1 day ago

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 03: In this photo illustration, the welcome screen for the OpenAI "ChatG...

Ramishah Maruf

Lawyer apologizes for fake court citations from ChatGPT

The meteoric rise of ChatGPT is shaking up multiple industries – including law. A lawyer for a man suing Avianca Airlines apologized in court after at least six cases as research for a brief were bogus, made up by ChatGPT.

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

Asian little girl playing arcade game on the computer machines at the shopping mall outlets...

Get Out Pass

Family Fun Activities in Utah You Have to Try This Summer

These family fun activities will entertain you all summer, so if you ever feel stuck in a rut wondering what to do, refer to this guide!

Woman IT specialist in elegant suit working on notebook computer in data center next to server rack...

Les Olson

Your Complete Guide to Outsourcing IT Services

This guide covers everything you need to know about the different benefits of outsourcing IT services to meet your small business needs.

diverse group of friends dance outside under string lights...

Lighting Design

5 Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Lighting

Read for the most frequently asked questions about outdoor lighting to help narrow the search for your home.

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

Denver public schools close for mental health day after shooting, as armed guards prepare a return to campuses