Denver’s East High School was closed Tuesday as a 16-year-old student remained hospitalized in critical condition after being shot near the campus a day earlier.
Administrators also canceled all after-school and extracurricular activities. School was expected to return to regular operation Wednesday, according to a letter Principal Terita Walker sent families.
“We will be taking this school closure day to take a collective breath as a community and create opportunities to seek the emotional and mental health support that our community requires,” Walker wrote.
The shooting took place near East 17th Avenue and City Park Esplanade and briefly led to a lockdown at East on Monday afternoon.
The male student who was shot remained in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the police department. He has not been publicly identified.
The Denver Police Department took two male suspects into custody Monday, although officials said they did not know the motive for the shooting.
A 17-year-old is being held for investigation of illegal possession of a handgun and a 16-year-old is being held for investigation of auto theft and felony eluding. Neither has been arrested on charges related to the shooting itself “at this stage of the investigation,” according to a statement released by the police department.
Both teenagers are Denver Public Schools students, though they do not attend East, according to the statement. Their names are not being released by police because they are juveniles.
In the fall, Superintendent Alex Marrero said gun violence in and around the city’s schools was a top concern of his.
“No parent should have to worry if their child will make it home from school,” Mayor Michael Hancock tweeted. “Accessibility to guns is making our streets unsafe. Do we care more about guns or the lives of our children? We need to pray. We need to act. We need to decide what type of society we want to be.”
East High School was also one of several Colorado schools to receive hoax calls about active shooters last year.
Mental health services and community support will be offered to students and educators at the school and district, said Rachel Childress, a DPS spokesperson, in an email.