On Wednesday morning, there was a shooting at East High School that resulted in injuries to two deans.
The Denver Police Department and Denver Public Schools have reported that the student believed to be responsible for the shooting, 17-year-old Austin Lyle, is currently at large.
The DPD identified Lyle at around 2:10 pm and provided a description of him as a Black male, 5 feet 5 inches tall, and weighing about 150 pounds.
He was wearing a green hoodie during the shooting and may be driving a 2005 red Volvo XC90 with license plate number BSC-W10, according to a bulletin from Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.
At a press conference, DPD Chief Ron Thomas stated that a shooting was reported at 9:50 am and that officers, along with medical personnel and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Denver, quickly arrived at East High School, which is located at 1600 City Park Esplanade, just south of City Park.
The school was placed on lockdown. During the press conference, both DPS and DPD identified the two injured adults as deans and confirmed that they were transported to a local hospital.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock reported that paramedics were present at the school and provided immediate medical assistance to the injured faculty members. Hancock expressed his belief that this timely response would be a significant factor in their recovery.
According to Chief Thomas, one of the deans injured in the shooting was in a serious but stable condition, while the other was in critical condition and undergoing surgery.
Heather Burke from Denver Health confirmed that Jerald Mason and Eric Sinclair, both identified as deans on East High School’s website, were taken to Denver Health Medical Center.
Mayor Hancock mentioned that a student was also taken to the hospital due to a reaction to the incident but was unharmed. Chief Thomas stated that the suspect, identified as 17-year-old East High student Austin Lyle, was subject to a school safety agreement requiring him to be searched in the front office every morning, a procedure that had been carried out without issue for some time.
However, on Wednesday, the student produced a firearm and shot and injured the two deans. The suspect fled the scene, but was later identified by the police, who released his name from him a few hours later. A search is now underway to locate him.
According to a bulletin from Metro Denver Crime Stoppers, the suspect is wanted on a charge of attempted homicide. Despite being a juvenile, the DPD has identified the suspect as he poses a significant threat to public safety.
Cherry Creek Public Schools reported that the suspect had been disciplined for violating board policy and was subsequently removed from Overland High School.
Safety plans, like the one the suspect was under, are designed based on previous behavior, according to Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero. DPS stated that all school districts in the state have safety agreements with certain students, but the suspect’s specific history is currently unavailable.
At 11:25 a.m., DPS began a controlled release after receiving an all-clear from the police department. Parents were advised to pick up their children at 17th Avenue and Esplanade, while students who drove to the school were escorted to the parking lots to leave. Students who ride the bus were held until the buses arrived, as per DPS.
