One of the two shooters accused of opening fire inside a Denver-area school, killing one student and wounding nine others, will make his first appearance in court Wednesday.
Initial charges against Devon Erickson, 18, will be announced at 1:30 p.m. local time, officials said at a morning press conference.
The second suspect — a female who is a minor — will not be in court Wednesday, said George Brauchler, the district attorney for Colorado’s 18th District, which covers Douglas County.
Brauchler said he hasn’t yet determined whether the underage suspect will be charged as an adult.
The two suspects allegedly entered STEM School Highlands Ranch just before 2 p.m. through the middle school entrance, according to Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock. That entrance did not have metal detectors, he said.
Two handguns were used in the shooting, which left senior Kendrick Castillo, 18, dead.
Spurlock clarified earlier reports that initially identified the minor suspect as a male, saying that person is now being identified as female. He declined to say whether the suspect was transgender.
“At the time, the individuals we believed were in custody were two males. One of the suspects is female,” the sheriff said. “You have to understand … this individual is a small, young person. The identity wasn’t obvious to us when they were taken into custody.”
Spurlock also said a total of nine students suffered injuries in the shooting. Three remain in intensive care while the rest have been released from the hospital, he said.
Deputies did not exchange gunfire with Erickson or the other suspect before taking them both into custody, the sheriff said.
