Two years since deadly shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- On May 7, 2019, the Highlands Ranch Community was hit with tragedy.
Two young men walked into a classroom at STEM School Highlands Ranch and opened fire, killing one student.
Kendrick Castillo, a senior, weeks away from graduating, reportedly died attempting to stop the gunman.
Witnesses say Castillo lunged at one of the suspects, and credit him with saving others from harm.
"Even though we didn't want to believe it to be true. We knew if there was one person at that school who would stand up and do something it would be Kendrick," said his father, John Castillo a few months after the shooting.
Eight other people were hurt during the shooting, 9News reports two were injured by a private security guard who helped detain one of the suspects.
The two men were taken into custody and charged with their involvement in the shooting.
The younger suspect, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, plead guilty in 2020 to 17 counts related to the shooting in July of 2020. He was sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole.
Under Colorado law, defendants who commit crimes as juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
The older suspect, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, plead not guilty in January of 2020.
After the trial being delayed twice due to COVID-19, a motions hearing in the case is set for May 21.
He faces 46 counts including:
- Two counts of first-degree murder
- One count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- 31 counts of attempted first-degree murder.
