What should have been a normal school day turned into a nightmare on Wednesday, September 10, when shots rang out inside Evergreen High School, just 28 miles outside of Denver, Colorado.
At around 12:00pm local time, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a chilling call: reports of an active assailant on campus. Within minutes, the high school was placed on lockdown. Hallways that normally echoed with chatter and laughter instead filled with fear and silence as students huddled in classrooms, unsure of what was happening just beyond the doors.
By early afternoon, the horror became clear. Three students were shot and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Their names have not yet been released, but their classmates and teachers were left shaken, praying desperately for their recovery.
In a tense press conference, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jaki Kelley admitted that the situation was still unfolding. “We’re not certain how many shooters we have or where that shooter might be,” she said. “I’m hoping to get more information to you quickly.” Her words captured the chaos and uncertainty of the moment, as parents frantically tried to reach their children and law enforcement swarmed the area.
At 1:45pm, a heartbreaking but hopeful scene unfolded: students were escorted out of the building in a single-file line, hands shaking, eyes filled with fear. They were taken to a reunification center at a nearby elementary school, where parents waited with tears streaming, desperate to wrap their children in their arms.
An update at 2:30pm confirmed the worst fears: three victims were fighting for their lives. Kelley added another haunting detail—investigators weren’t even sure if the assailant was old enough to drive.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis addressed the state soon after, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“I am closely monitoring the situation at Evergreen High School, and am getting live updates. State Troopers are supporting local law enforcement in responding to this situation. Students should be able to attend school safely and without fear across our state and nation. We are all praying for the victims and the entire community.”
