Two school administrators were shot at a Denver high school Wednesday morning after a handgun was found during a search of a student, authorities said.
The juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.
The shooting happened at around 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and is undergoing surgery. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said.
Police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him, he said.
"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, warning the community as they search for the suspect.
Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.
The suspect in Wednesday's shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Denver Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was subject to daily searches.
The school, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.
Denver Public School confirmed the victims were administrators. Hundreds of parents lined up along a road near the school, with the scene sealed off by police.
Wednesday was the second anniversary of 10 people being shot and killed at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.