Three people were taken to hospital in critical condition after a gunman opened fire at Evergreen High School just after noon local time on Wednesday, Jefferson County authorities said.
Jefferson County emergency communications reported an "active assailant in the area" at 12:40 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The sheriff's office later said three people were transported from the school and that at least two of the victims were students. Authorities did not immediately disclose whether the shooter had been arrested or formally identified.
Local media reported that the suspected shooter was another student and that the individual was wounded amid the chaos, but it was not clear whether that injury was from an exchange of gunfire or from another cause. Photographs released by police showed several officers and sheriff's deputies running toward the campus wearing ballistic vests, and multiple emergency vehicles were visible lining nearby streets.
Jefferson County officials posted on X, formerly Twitter, advising parents not to go directly to the school because the scene remained active. Later on Wednesday the sheriff's office said a parent-student reunification was taking place at a nearby elementary school, indicating that the immediate threat to the campus had been contained, though investigators continued to work at the scene.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis said he was monitoring the situation and praying for the victims. In a post on X, he said state troopers were supporting local law enforcement and reiterated that students should be able to attend school safely.
Officials provided few additional details about the circumstances that led to the shooting or the condition of those injured beyond their being in critical condition. Law enforcement asked the public to avoid the area while emergency responders and investigators conducted their work.
Evergreen High School is located about 28 miles southwest of Denver. Colorado has experienced several high-profile school shootings in past decades, and local and state authorities typically coordinate multiagency responses when an active assailant is reported.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and local hospitals had not released the names of the victims or the suspected shooter as of Wednesday evening. The investigation was ongoing and authorities said more information would be provided as it became available. This is a developing story and updates are expected.