Evergreen, Colorado — September 10, 2025. What should have been an ordinary afternoon at Evergreen High School, nestled in the quiet mountains southwest of Denver, turned into another horrific chapter in America’s school shooting crisis. At 12:24 p.m., gunfire erupted inside and outside the school, leaving two students wounded and a third hospitalized, before the suspected gunman — himself a student — died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the shooter used a handgun to open fire on classmates, triggering chaos and terror across the campus. Within five minutes of frantic 911 calls, officers flooded the scene. Sheriff’s spokesperson Jacki Kelley stressed that police never discharged their weapons while securing the school, but the damage had already been done.
Panic and Horror on Campus
Witnesses described a chilling barrage of 15 to 30 shots echoing through hallways and across the cafeteria. Students scrambled to hide under tables, barricade classroom doors, or run for their lives as the shooter moved through areas of the school.
One mother outside the reunification center later wept as she spoke: “We always thought this couldn’t happen here. But it did. And maybe it’s time we teach our kids how to survive something like this, because nobody is safe anymore.”
At CommonSpirit St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood, one victim remains in critical condition, fighting for life, while another is stable. A third student, whose injuries are still being evaluated, was also taken in for treatment. Authorities have not yet released their names.
Entire District Shuts Down
The gravity of the attack sent shockwaves through the community. District officials ordered a two-day shutdown (September 11–12) for all Evergreen and Conifer schools — elementary, middle, and high schools alike — as parents, staff, and students reel from the trauma.
Parents endured agonizing hours waiting at Bergen Meadow Elementary, the designated reunification site. Many children arrived trembling, tear-streaked, still clutching phones and backpacks as though holding onto the last thread of normalcy.
Federal Agencies Step In
The FBI and ATF are now assisting local investigators, combing through the suspect’s locker, bedroom, and digital footprint to uncover a motive. Late Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed the shooter’s death and said no other suspects are believed to be involved.
Governor Polis Speaks Out
Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a somber statement:
“My heart is with the victims and their families as they face this senseless act of violence. Every student deserves to go to school without fear, yet once again our state is grieving.”