(CNN) A male student shot and wounded two teachers at a Denver high school Wednesday, then fled the scene, prompting city officials to search for his whereabouts.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said the shooting at East High School was reported at 9:50 a.m. and police and paramedics arrived on the scene “very quickly” to find a two-year-old male with gunshot wounds.
One teacher is in stable condition while the other is in critical condition, he said.
The student suspected of being involved in the shooting is under the age of 18 and is being beaten every day under the school safety program, he said. During Wednesday’s search, a handgun was recovered and several shots were fired from other students and staff in an office area at the front of the school, Thomas said.
After that, the student ran away from the school and the search for him is going on.
“We’re looking for the suspect,” Mayor Michael Hancock said. “We will find that suspect and hold that suspect accountable this morning for putting everyone in danger and injuring two employees who were doing their jobs and trying to keep everyone safe at that time.”
Also, another student was taken to the hospital due to allergies, the mayor said. Paramedics were already in the building for the incident when the shooting happened, so they were able to treat the injured immediately, Hancock said.
East High School has approximately 2,500 students in grades 9 through 12 and is the largest and highest performing comprehensive high school of all Denver public schools. School system.
The high school is located in the City Park neighborhood of the Colorado capital and is considered Denver Historic Landmark For its architecture in the Jacobean Revival style. The clock tower atop the school resembles Philadelphia’s Independence Hall School website references.
In one step, school officials will implement a “controlled release” of students once police give the go-ahead Tweet from Denver Public Schools. Students who ride themselves will be escorted to their cars, students riding the bus will be parked on campus until their bus arrives, and students dropped off by their parents can be picked up at a separate location, the tweet said.
The school will be closed for a week following the shooting, Superintendent Alex Marrero said during a press conference. When students return and throughout the school year, two armed officers will be on campus, he said.
