BRIGHTON, Colo. — Six suspects were taken into custody after one person was injured in a shooting outside of a school Wednesday afternoon, the Brighton Police Department said.
Police said the shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. in the area of South Ninth Avenue and Bush Street in Brighton, near Innovations & Options high school. When officers arrived, they found shell casings in an intersection but did not locate any suspects or victims.
Police said one victim took themselves to urgent care with a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening. Police were unable to say if the victim was a student or an adult.
27J Schools said the shooting did not occur on a school campus, but said "it was reported to involve a few students from Innovations and Options, Prairie View and Brighton High Schools." Police were unable to confirm that information.
Police said two juvenile suspects were taken into custody after officers pulled their car over in the area of Prairie View High School at East 120th Avenue and Salem Street, about six miles from Innovations & Options. Additional juvenile suspects believed to be involved were later contacted and detained, police said, for a total of six arrests.
Prairie View High School was on lockdown while police swept the building looking for a potential suspect. The district said no suspect was found, and the school was released from lockdown.
Parents filled a church parking lot next door as they waited for their children to be released.
“It's pretty crazy because, like I said, I got two boys that I love dearly and this is supposed to be a safe school where everybody is supposed to just go to school and learn and stuff like that," said Seng Thao, the parent of a sophomore at Prairie View High School.
In a statement to 9NEWS, a spokesperson for 27J Schools said the district focuses on "social-emotional" learning and that their advisory class programs work to help students build self-regulation skills and problem-solving strategies that prevent them from resorting to violence.
"We’ve worked to develop a culture of vigilance with students and parents and encourage them to report concerns anonymously through Safe2Tell, which allows law enforcement and school staff to intervene before violence occurs," the statement read in part.
The following 27J schools were put on secure due to the police response. The district said at 2:45 p.m. that the secure status was lifted.
- Brighton High
- Vikan Middle
- Prairie View Middle
- South Elementary
- Southeast Elementary
- Innovations and Options Campus
- Bright Beginnings Preschool
- Northeast Elementary
- Overland Trail
- Thimmig Elementary
- Henderson Elementary
Police are asking anyone who lives in the area around 9th Avenue and Bush Street to review any camera footage they may have and to call the Brighton Police Department at 303-655-8740 with any information.
Tipsters can also remain anonymous by calling Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
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