Denver police investigating ‘traumatic’ high school search

Denver police are investigating the search of a high school for a shooting suspect following criticism from school staffers and students.​

​​​​​​City public safety director, Troy Riggs, announced the review of the April 24 search at the largely-minority Rise Up Community School on Thursday.

Principal Lucas Ketzer says he told police the student wasn’t in class but officers went classroom to classroom looking for him, causing students to feel unsafe and intimidated. He says police pushed a teacher away from her classroom after she said she wouldn’t allow them to enter without a warrant and pulled a gun on a teacher who went out a back door looking for students.

Denver police say that given the potentially dangerous situation and another school staffer confirming the suspect’s presence, they didn’t need a warrant. They say no guns were drawn inside the school.

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11:15 a.m.

Denver school officials are criticizing police for the way officers searched for a high school for a student wanted in a shooting.

The search happened April 24 at the largely-minority Rise Up Community School.

Principal Lucas Ketzer says he told officers the student wasn’t there but they went classroom by classroom searching for him. He says police pushed a teacher away from her classroom after she said she wouldn’t allow them to enter without a warrant and pulled a gun on a teacher who went out a back door looking for students.

Denver police say a school staffer confirmed the suspect’s presence and say no guns were drawn in the school.

The school district consented to the search but says it recognized that the experience was “traumatic” for students and staffers.