Denver East shooter was a known threat

The 17-year-old student at Denver East High School who shot and injured two school administrators after they discovered his gun during a pat down was already known to administrators and law enforcement.

The suspect, Austin Lyle, had been expelled from his previous school, Overland High School in Aurora, Colorado. He was on probation for a weapon charge involving a rifle with a “high capacity magazine and a silencer.”

Lyle was attending Denver East High School under a “safety plan” which required him to be patted down every morning. It is unclear if his previous weapons charge prompted the safety plan. Safety plans are behavioral contracts between the student, the parents, and the school. They spell out expectations for the student and what the school will do in response to any violations. Safety plans can include mandatory pat downs, supervised bathroom visits, and random backpack searches.

The shooting at Denver East High School occurred less than a month after another student was shot while sitting in his car outside the school. Denver East High School had previously removed school resource officers from their campus in 2020, a decision that many critics now say was a mistake. In light of the shooting and other events the school district’s ban on armed guards/officers has temporarily been lifted.

Lyle was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound shortly after fleeing the scene. The victims have been treated for their wounds. One is in stable condition the other in critical condition.

This is a developing story.

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