EVERGREEN, CO – Two students were wounded Wednesday afternoon when gunfire erupted at Evergreen High School in the foothills west of Denver, leaving the school community shaken and families desperate for answers.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that both students suffered injuries during the shooting incident, which occurred during regular school hours. The suspected shooter, described as a juvenile male, was also hospitalized with injuries, though authorities haven’t revealed how those injuries occurred.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after reports of shots fired at the school, located in the mountain community about 30 miles from downtown Denver. Parents received frantic alerts on their phones and raced to designated reunification sites to locate their children.
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Maria Rodriguez, whose daughter attends the school. “You send your kids to school thinking they’re safe, and then something like this happens.”
Sheriff’s deputies immediately secured the building and conducted a thorough sweep to ensure no additional threats remained. Students were evacuated in small groups while investigators began processing the scene for evidence.
The school district activated its emergency response protocols, directing students to nearby Bergen Park Elementary for reunification with families. Buses transported students who couldn’t immediately connect with parents or guardians.
This marks another troubling incident of school violence in Colorado, a state that’s experienced several high-profile school shootings over the past two decades. The Jefferson County area was previously impacted by the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.
Mental health counselors and crisis intervention specialists were made available to students, staff, and families affected by the incident. The district announced classes would be canceled Thursday while the investigation continues.
Authorities haven’t released details about what led to the shooting or the relationship between the students involved. The investigation remains active as detectives interview witnesses and examine evidence collected from the scene.
