One student was killed and eight others wounded in a school shooting rampage at STEM Highland Ranch in Colorado, Tuesday afternoon. Two suspects were taken into custody, one of which was revealed to be a "juvenile female" by authorities.
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock identified 18-year-old Devon Erickson as one of the suspects who opened fire in two classrooms at the school located near suburban Denver. Spurlock initially identified both suspects as being male, but said that was because of the confusing situation at the scene.
"I can tell you it was a very confusing situation. We had a number of officers in a school where shots were being fired and the officers were trying to recover victims," said Spurlock. "We identified who the suspects were, they were taken into custody. And at the time, the individuals that we believed were in custody were two males."
"It wasn't until we got to this office where we were able to determine that one of the suspects was a female," Spurlock said. "You have to understand that this individual is a young person. This individual is a small young person, and the identity wasn't definitive, obviously obvious when they were taken into custody."
Spurlock did not identify the female shooting suspect.
Investigators have not yet determined a motive for Tuesday afternoon's attack. Spurlock told reporters the two shooters were armed with at least two handguns and entered the school through an entrance reserved for younger students. Authorities did not exchange gunfire with the suspects before they were taken into custody, Spurlock said.
One student, an 18-year-old male, was killed. Three of the eight victims wounded in the shooting are still in the hospital, authorities said Wednesday.
One student who was present during the shooting told "The Today Show" that Erickson came to class late that day. "The next thing I know he is pulling a gun and is telling nobody to move," senior Nui Giasolli said.
Giasolli said another student, identified as Kendrick Castillo lunged at the gunman, who shot him. That gave the other students time to "get underneath our desks, to get ourselves safe, and to run across the room to escape."
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said the "heart of Colorado is with the victims and their families."
Erickson is scheduled to appear in court later Wednesday, District Attorney George Brauchler said. A hearing for the female suspect has not been scheduled yet.
"Our prayers are with the victims, family members, and all those affected by today’s shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Littleton, Colorado," the White House said in a statement. "Tragically, this community and those surrounding it know all too well these hateful and horrible acts of violence."
The shooting comes less than three weeks after the 20th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School, which is located about eight miles away from the STEM Highland Ranch school. It's the fourth such shooting in Colorado since then.
Photo: Getty Images