Classes resume at Colorado middle school after shooting that wounded 2 students in parking lot

Classes resume at Colo. school where gunman shot 2

DENVER — A suburban Denver middle school was back in session Monday for the first time since a gunman wounded two students in the parking lot six days earlier, with counselors in every classroom and a full-time security guard on duty.

Deer Creek Middle School teachers greeted students with hugs and high fives as they arrived at the school in Littleton, Colo. Posters signed by hundreds of students from neighboring schools hung in the cafeteria.

Teachers and about 30 counselors — some from other schools and some volunteering from the Jefferson Center for Mental Health — started the day reassuring students they were safe and that their injured classmates are recovering.

“It feels good to see the kids back and see they’re really resilient,” Principal Rob Hoover said. “A lot of kids were commenting how it was nice so many people concerned about us.”

The school, about three miles from the site of the 1999 Columbine High School shootings, held an open house Friday for students who wanted to talk to counselors or pick up items left behind. Monday was the first day that classes resumed, and Tuesday will run on a regular schedule.

When the gunman opened fire Feb. 23, a school officer assigned to Deer Creek and two other schools was investigating a property crime at another school. School staff restrained the gunman until officers arrived.

Eighth-grader Matthew Thieu remained hospitalized Monday in good condition with rib and lung injuries. Eighth-grader Reagan Weber was treated for an arm injury and released.

Jefferson County sheriff’s officials say Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood, 32, signed in as a visitor at the school Feb. 23 and used the restroom before leaving. A short time later, authorities say, the gunman fired a hunting rifle outside as students were leaving for the day.

Sheriff’s officials have not disclosed a possible motive.

Eastwood is being held under $1 million cash bail after he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He is due in court again Tuesday.

In recent years, Eastwood had been living and working on his father’s ranch in Hudson while looking for a job. His father has said his son often talked to himself but that his mental health worsened in the last month.

Deer Creek students had been scheduled to start taking the Colorado Student Assessment Program, or statewide CSAP tests, on Monday but that was delayed until next week.

So far, students seemed to be doing well easing back into a normal schedule, Hoover said.

“It’s just one step at a time. The community has really wrapped its arms around us as well as the district with all the support they’ve provided. It’s going much better than I thought it would,” Hoover said.