'His intent was evil': Colorado high school gunman intended to shoot numerous people, sheriff says

 The 18-year-old Colorado man who shot a fellow student before killing himself Friday intended to shoot numerous people, but his rampage was interrupted by a school resource officer who responded to the shooting, officials said Saturday. Ed Andrieski / APArapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson holds a picture of Claire Davis the 17-year-old student that was shot during a briefing Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colo. Davis was shot by 18-year-old shooting suspect Karl Halverson Pierson at the school on Friday before he took his own life. “His intent was evil,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said of Karl Halverson Pierson. “And his evil intent was to harm multiple individuals.”Upon entering the school, Robinson said, Pierson fired one round down the hallway. He then shot Claire Esther Davis, 17, who just happened to be sitting nearby with a friend as he headed toward the library. The girl suffered severe head trauma and remains in critical condition at Littleton Adventist Hospital.Confronted by the officer, the teen committed suicide less than a minute and a half after he entered the building, armed with a shotgun and multiple rounds of ammunition that he purchased legally, the sheriff said.In a statement, Claire’s family asked for “continued prayers” for the teenager, who remained in critical condition.“She was an innocent victim of an evil act of violence,” Robinson said.He then read the statement from her family:"Our beautiful daughter Claire Davis has severe head trauma as a result of a gunshot. She needs your continued prayers," the family said.Authorities release the name of the shooting victim and offer a timeline of the incident, which took just one minute and 20 seconds. NBC's Ron Mott reports. They also expressed their gratitude to first responders and the trauma team that responded during Friday's brief incident at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colo.,  “for saving our daughter’s life and quickly getting her into surgery,” according to the statement.Robinson said he does not believe Davis and the shooter knew each other.  Davis had been previously identified as a 15-year-old student. Robinson said the student gunman purchased the pump-action shotgun used in the shooting incident legally on Dec. 6 at a local retail outlet, then legally purchased multiple rounds of shotgun ammunition on Friday morning. Pierson was also armed with a machete and three Molotov cocktails, one of which was set off. Robinson said the explosives were made of 12 to 16 ounce bottles containing flammable liquid and were brought into the school in a backpack. The weapons were found on and around the shooter's body, he said. Pierson set off one of the Molotov cocktails, setting a fire in the library. Robinson said the response of a school resource officer was “absolutely critical” to the fact that that there were no additional injuries or deaths.The parents of a 17-year-old student shot and critically wounded in a Colorado school shooting said "she needs your continued prayers" in a statement read by Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson Robinson said Pierson entered the school from the north side and fired one random shot down the hallway before firing at the victim at point blank range.Pierson then entered the library and ignited one of the Molotov cocktails.The deputy sheriff then ran through a long hallway from the cafeteria to the library. While the deputy was containing the shooter, the shooter took his own life at the north end of the library, Robinson said.Robinson said the motive in the shooting was seen "as some type of retaliation" against a school staff member. Robinson said that Pierson was subject to disciplinary action from the school's debate team coach in September, but denied reports that he had been kicked off the debate team.  The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Colorado school gunman targeted debate team coach

  Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, wounded a student Friday at a Colorado high school before shooting himself, authorities said.By M. Alex Johnson and Daniella Silva, NBC NewsThe 18-year-old gunman who wounded a fellow student at a Colorado school before taking his own life Friday was described as a bright, politically opinionated young man who had a beef with the school’s librarian, who had kicked him off the debate team.Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identified the gunman as Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, a senior at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. Authorities said he entered the school about 12:33 p.m. (2:33 p.m. ET) looking for a specific teacher with whom he'd had an earlier confrontation.But students who witnessed the attack later clarified that it was the school librarian and debate team coach, identified as Tracy Murphy by NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver, who was the target of Pierson's rage.Steve Miles is an English teacher who taught Pierson as a freshman, told the Associated Press that Pierson had recently been cut from the debate team, but he didn't know why. Authorities, who were expected to provide additional information on the attack, which ended with Pierson dead by his own hand and an unidentified female student critically wounded, at a news conference sheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET.At a briefing on Friday, Robinson said that when the educator learned of the threat, he immediately tried to lure Pierson away from other students by leaving the building."It was very tactical for the teacher, for him to remove himself from the school," Robinson said.Murphy escaped unharmed, KUSA reported, and was escorted by an Arapahoe County deputy on Friday night to pick up a few belongings as police investigated a possible motive.  "'Revenge' is the word that I chose," Robinson told reporters. "This is where our initial investigation is taking us. We know that there was some controversy between the student suspect and the teacher."Pierson shot a 15-year-old girl before using the same shotgun to kill himself, Robinson said. The girl, who wasn't identified, was in critical condition Friday night, Littleton Adventist Hospital said.Madison Berry, a senior at the school, said she had taken classes with Pierson.Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identifies the teenager who shot a fellow student at Arapahoe High School before killing himself."He was very outspoken — always involved with class discussion," she said. "So it was kind of odd to see that he was the one who did this."Abbey Skoda, a junior, told The Denver Post: "He had very strong beliefs about gun laws and stuff. I also heard he was bullied a lot."Neighbors said Pierson was a nice, quiet teen who lived with a nice, quiet family in a nice, quiet neighborhood."They were one of the first (families) to introduce themselves when we moved into the neighborhood" about five years ago, Jo VanDeWege, a neighbor, told NBC station KUSA of Denver.Pierson "introduced himself and his sister, and they were all very sweet and seemed very cheerful. So this has been quite upsetting," she said.Diane Shea, a neighbor, agreed, telling the Post,  "They're just a normal middle-class family, like many of the families around here." Pierson's parents divorced in 2011, and he was believed to have lived with his mother, Robinson said late Friday. Authorities were investigating four locations: the school, Pierson's car, his mother's home and his father's home, he said.Pierson's mother, a school system employee, was out of town caring for a sick relative, neighbors and investigators said.Watch World News videos on NBCNews.comThis story was originally published on Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:12 PM EST

Gunman kills self at Colorado high school; second student critically wounded

 An army of police officers responded and terrified parents rushed to the scene after a student entered Arapahoe High School in Colorado and shot two students, authorities said. NBC's Tom Costello reports. By M. Alex Johnson, Staff Writer, NBC NewsA quick-thinking educator may have saved other lives Friday by trying to lure a student brandishing a shotgun away from teenagers at a Colorado high school, where the gunman wounded a fellow student before killing himself, authorities said.The injured student, a 15-year-old girl, was critically wounded and was in surgery after the gunman shot her at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said initial reports that the student confronted the gunman turned out not to be true.A second student initially believed to have been wounded turned out only to have been splattered with some of the girl's blood, Robinson said at a news briefing late Friday.The shooter, identified as Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, a student at the school, appeared to be seeking revenge against a specific school staff member after an earlier confrontation, Robinson said. He said Pierson was looking for the educator by name when the incident began about 12:33 p.m. (2:33 p.m. ET).The staff member was identified as school librarian and debate team coach Tracy Murphy by NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver. Authorities initially described him as a teacher. "The teacher exited the school immediately, which was, in my opinion, the most important tactical decision that could have been made," Robinson said. "I believe it was a wise tactical decision to remove himself from the school so maybe the threat went toward him rather than the school."An army of officers responded, having dramatically changed their standing orders after the deaths of 12 students and a teacher 14 years ago at Columbine High School — just about 10 miles away. Instead of waiting for backup, they rushed in immediately.They found Pierson in a classroom about 20 minutes after they began their search, Robinson said. He said investigators knew his identity and were talking to his family, even as his body remained inside the school Friday night. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identifies the teenager who shot a fellow student at Arapahoe High School before killing himself.Robinson said two devices similar to Molotov cocktails were also found in the building, one of which created a cloud of smoke and the other of which was disarmed. As darkness fell, SWAT officers with dogs were still at the school.Meanwhile, police, sheriff's deputies and agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives barreled into a home about 4 miles from the school. No one appeared to be home, a neighbor said."An ATF agent said we should stay in the house," she told NBC station KUSA of Denver. "I didn't ask any questions."Robinson said late Friday that authorities were investigating four locations:  the school, Pierson's car, his mother's home and his father's home. His parents divorced in 2011.Related: Colorado school gunman Karl Pierson seen as bright and passionate about politicsA janitor first spotted the gunman and alerted authorities. The man, who said he wanted to be identified only as Fabian, said the gunman was running side to side, kind of military style.""I looked to see if there was a gun," Fabian told KUSA. "It was a shotgun.""When he went into the library, he said, 'Where is Murphy?'" Fabian said. Robinson confirmed that the gunman was armed with a shotgun.Students described a scene of terror when the shooting started."I heard three shots, and then the school went into lockdown," Camden Flinders, 14, a freshman, told NBC News. "I saw the blood in the study center and in the gym. We could see blood on the floor. ..."We went on lockdown for about 20 to 30 minutes. There was big line of police and blood splatters by the gym and the study center," he said.Parents were being asked to gather at nearby schools and churches, the sheriff's office said. They dropped whatever they were doing to rush to the scene — one was seen in full medical scrubs, as though he had just raced out of a doctor's office, KUSA reported.An Arapahoe High School student tells NBC station KUSA she texted her parents a message she never wanted to have to send them.Camden's father, Marcus Flinders, was working at an area Latter-day Saints temple when he got the news from a fellow congregant. "I broke down. I thought my son was one of the ones who was injured," he said. "I was pretty much crying. It was really traumatic."'A traumatic situation'Authorities said that while they had no indication of a second shooter, they proceeded as though there might have been one as a matter of caution. Students were led out of the building with their arms in the air, some of them being patted down by police."The kids have been through a traumatic situation," Robinson said. "We need to ensure that anyone we evacuate isn't part of our problem. We're doing the evacuation slowly and deliberately."President Barack Obama was briefed about the shooting, White House officials said. Arapahoe High School, with 2,000 students, is an affluent suburb of Denver in the same county where James Eagan Holmes is accused of having killed 12 people in a movie theater in the town of Aurora last year.Asked whether the shooting might have some connection to Saturday's anniversary of the deadly shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Robinson replied simply, "No."Tom Costello, Pete Williams, Christopher Essner, Azhar Fateh, John Cheang, Simon Moya-Smith, Geoff Tofield, Liza Torres and Daniella Silva of NBC News contributed to this report.Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.comThis story was originally published on Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:29 PM EST

Colorado shooting victim is great student, avid horse lover

 The parents of the Arapahoe High School shooting victim said, "she needs your continued prayers" in a statement that also offered details about the17-year-old girl's medical condition. By Becky Bratu, Staff Writer, NBC NewsThe 17-year-old senior in a coma after being shot point-blank at a Colorado high school was described by her family as a “woman of principle” and by a fellow student as “amazing and so sweet.”Claire Esther Davis is a senior at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colo.She was wounded Friday when student gunman Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, entered the school building armed with a shotgun and multiple rounds of ammunition that he purchased legally a week earlier, Sheriff Grayson Robinson said Saturday afternoon. Authorities said the attack lasted just 80 seconds."His intent was evil and his evil intent was to harm multiple individuals," the sheriff said.Upon entering the school, Robinson said, Pierson fired one round down the hallway. He then shot Claire, who just happened to be sitting nearby with a friend as he headed toward the library. Claire suffered severe head trauma and remains in critical condition at Littleton Adventist Hospital, her family said in a statement read by Robinson. The sheriff emphasized that authorities don't believe Claire and the shooter were friends. Robinson said Claire was an innocent victim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."I believe Claire Davis is an innocent young lady," Robinson said, adding that the motive in the shooting was  seen "as some type of retaliation" against a school staff member. Robinson said that Pierson was subject to verbal disciplinary action from the school's debate team coach, but denied reports that he had been kicked off the debate team. "I choose to never use his name again in public," Robinson said about the shooter.Claire's family said in a statement Saturday that she is in a coma and is listed in critical but stable condition."The first responders got Claire to the right place, at the right time, and the doctors and hospital staff are doing a wonderful job taking care of her," the family said."We appreciate your continued good thoughts and prayers, and will provide updates as her condition improves."Fellow Arapahoe students Saturday held prayer vigils for Claire, who was known for being outgoing, a good athlete who loved horses and a great student, The Denver Post reported, adding that the teen had recently placed second in an equestrian competition and is a member of the Colorado Hunter Jumper Association.A neighbor told the newspaper Claire was also the best babysitter in the community. "She took care of our 5-year-old," the man, who did not want to be identified, told the Post. "She was well-loved. I believe she wanted to go into nursing — I know she had already been accepted to a number of colleges already."Fellow student Avery Griggs, a sophomore, told the newspaper that Claire is "one of the nicest people I've met at Arapahoe.""She is amazing and so sweet," Avery told the Post. Friends and well-wishers posted prayers on Twitter, and some students collected money to help pay for her medical expenses."I feel like it's going to make us a stronger senior class and school as a whole," Chris Davis, an Arapahoe senior who is not related to Claire but helped organize the fundraising effort, told The Associated Press. He said she has a lot of friends, always seems happy and loves horses. This story was originally published on Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:47 AM EST

Colorado shooting victim is a great student, Avid horse lover

 The parents of the Arapahoe High School shooting victim said, "she needs your continued prayers" in a statement that also offered details about the17-year-old girl's medical condition. By Becky Bratu, Staff Writer, NBC NewsThe 17-year-old senior in a coma after being shot point-blank at a Colorado high school was described by her family as a “woman of principle” and by a fellow student as “amazing and so sweet.”Claire Esther Davis is a senior at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colo.She was wounded Friday when student gunman Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, entered the school building armed with a shotgun and multiple rounds of ammunition that he purchased legally a week earlier, Sheriff Grayson Robinson said Saturday afternoon. Authorities said the attack lasted just 80 seconds."His intent was evil and his evil intent was to harm multiple individuals," the sheriff said.Upon entering the school, Robinson said, Pierson fired one round down the hallway. He then shot Claire, who just happened to be sitting nearby with a friend as he headed toward the library. Claire suffered severe head trauma and remains in critical condition at Littleton Adventist Hospital, her family said in a statement read by Robinson. The sheriff emphasized that authorities don't believe Claire and the shooter were friends. Robinson said Claire was an innocent victim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."I believe Claire Davis is an innocent young lady," Robinson said, adding that the motive in the shooting was  seen "as some type of retaliation" against a school staff member. Robinson said that Pierson was subject to verbal disciplinary action from the school's debate team coach, but denied reports that he had been kicked off the debate team. "I choose to never use his name again in public," Robinson said about the shooter.Claire's family said in a statement Saturday that she is in a coma and is listed in critical but stable condition."The first responders got Claire to the right place, at the right time, and the doctors and hospital staff are doing a wonderful job taking care of her," the family said."We appreciate your continued good thoughts and prayers, and will provide updates as her condition improves."Fellow Arapahoe students Saturday held prayer vigils for Claire, who was known for being outgoing, a good athlete who loved horses and a great student, The Denver Post reported, adding that the teen had recently placed second in an equestrian competition and is a member of the Colorado Hunter Jumper Association.A neighbor told the newspaper Claire was also the best babysitter in the community. "She took care of our 5-year-old," the man, who did not want to be identified, told the Post. "She was well-loved. I believe she wanted to go into nursing — I know she had already been accepted to a number of colleges already."Fellow student Avery Griggs, a sophomore, told the newspaper that Claire is "one of the nicest people I've met at Arapahoe.""She is amazing and so sweet," Avery told the Post. Friends and well-wishers posted prayers on Twitter, and some students collected money to help pay for her medical expenses."I feel like it's going to make us a stronger senior class and school as a whole," Chris Davis, an Arapahoe senior who is not related to Claire but helped organize the fundraising effort, told The Associated Press. He said she has a lot of friends, always seems happy and loves horses. This story was originally published on Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:47 AM EST

Colorado school gunman targeted debate team coach who cut him

   Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, wounded a student Friday at a Colorado high school before shooting himself, authorities said.By M. Alex Johnson and Daniella Silva, NBC NewsThe 18-year-old gunman who wounded a fellow student at a Colorado school before taking his own life Friday was described as a bright, politically opinionated young man who had a beef with the school’s librarian, who had kicked him off the debate team.Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identified the gunman as Karl Halverson Pierson, 18, a senior at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. Authorities said he entered the school about 12:33 p.m. (2:33 p.m. ET) looking for a specific teacher with whom he'd had an earlier confrontation.But students who witnessed the attack later clarified that it was the school librarian and debate team coach, identified as Tracy Murphy by NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver, who was the target of Pierson's rage.Steve Miles is an English teacher who taught Pierson as a freshman, told the Associated Press that Pierson had recently been cut from the debate team, but he didn't know why. Authorities, who were expected to provide additional information on the attack, which ended with Pierson dead by his own hand and an unidentified female student critically wounded, at a news conference sheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET.At a briefing on Friday, Robinson said that when the educator learned of the threat, he immediately tried to lure Pierson away from other students by leaving the building."It was very tactical for the teacher, for him to remove himself from the school," Robinson said.Murphy escaped unharmed, KUSA reported, and was escorted by an Arapahoe County deputy on Friday night to pick up a few belongings as police investigated a possible motive.  "'Revenge' is the word that I chose," Robinson told reporters. "This is where our initial investigation is taking us. We know that there was some controversy between the student suspect and the teacher."Pierson shot a 15-year-old girl before using the same shotgun to kill himself, Robinson said. The girl, who wasn't identified, was in critical condition Friday night, Littleton Adventist Hospital said.Madison Berry, a senior at the school, said she had taken classes with Pierson.Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identifies the teenager who shot a fellow student at Arapahoe High School before killing himself."He was very outspoken — always involved with class discussion," she said. "So it was kind of odd to see that he was the one who did this."Abbey Skoda, a junior, told The Denver Post: "He had very strong beliefs about gun laws and stuff. I also heard he was bullied a lot."Neighbors said Pierson was a nice, quiet teen who lived with a nice, quiet family in a nice, quiet neighborhood."They were one of the first (families) to introduce themselves when we moved into the neighborhood" about five years ago, Jo VanDeWege, a neighbor, told NBC station KUSA of Denver.Pierson "introduced himself and his sister, and they were all very sweet and seemed very cheerful. So this has been quite upsetting," she said.Diane Shea, a neighbor, agreed, telling the Post,  "They're just a normal middle-class family, like many of the families around here." Pierson's parents divorced in 2011, and he was believed to have lived with his mother, Robinson said late Friday. Authorities were investigating four locations: the school, Pierson's car, his mother's home and his father's home, he said.Pierson's mother, a school system employee, was out of town caring for a sick relative, neighbors and investigators said.Watch World News videos on NBCNews.comThis story was originally published on Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:12 PM EST

Judge orders Colorado baker to serve gay couples

 Brennan Linsley / AP fileDave Mullins, right, sits for a portrait with his husband Charlie Craig, in Denver. By Ivan Moreno, The Associated PressA baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony must serve gay couples despite his religious beliefs or face fines, a judge said Friday. The order from administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer said Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver discriminated against a couple "because of their sexual orientation by refusing to sell them a wedding cake for their same-sex marriage." The order says the cake-maker must "cease and desist from discriminating" against gay couples. Although the judge did not impose fines in this case, the business will face penalties if it continues to turn away gay couples who want to buy cakes. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint against shop owner Jack Phillips with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission last year on behalf of Charlie Craig, 33, and David Mullins, 29. The couple was married in Massachusetts and wanted a wedding cake to celebrate in Colorado.  Mullins and Craig wanted to buy a cake in July 2012, but when Phillips found out the cake was to celebrate a gay wedding, he turned the couple away, according to the complaint.  Nicolle Martin, an attorney for Masterpiece Cakeshop, said the judge's order puts Phillips in an impossible position of going against his Christian faith. "He can't violate his conscience in order to collect a paycheck," she said. "If Jack can't make wedding cakes, he can't continue to support his family. And in order to make wedding cakes, Jack must violate his belief system. That is a reprehensible choice. It is antithetical to everything America stands for." The Civil Rights Commission is expected to certify the judge's order next week. Phillips can appeal the judge's order, and Martin said they're considering their next steps. Mullins said he and Craig are "ecstatic." "To a certain extent, though, I don't think that this is necessarily a surprise," he said. "We thought it was pretty clear cut that he had discriminated against us." Mullins said he hopes the "decision will help ensure that no one else will experience this kind of discrimination again in Colorado." A similar case is pending in Washington state, where a florist is accused of refusing service for a same-sex wedding. In New Mexico, the state Supreme Court ruled in August that an Albuquerque business was wrong to decline to photograph a same-sex couple's commitment ceremony. Colorado has a constitutional ban against gay marriage but allows civil unions. The civil union law, which passed earlier this year, does not provide religious protections for businesses. "At first blush, it may seem reasonable that a private business should be able to refuse service to anyone it chooses," Judge Spencer said in his written order. "This view, however, fails to take into account the cost to society and the hurt caused to persons who are denied service simply because of who they are." ACLU attorney Amanda Goad said no one is asking Phillips to change his religious beliefs. "But treating gay people differently because of who they are is discrimination, plain and simple," she said. 

Dos muertos, 20 heridos en accidente en Colorado mía

a Por Simon Moya-Smith y M. Alex Johnson, NBC NewsInexplicables "gases nocivos" mató a dos mineros y otros 20 en un accidente en un Colorado heridos mía el domingo por la mañana, dijo la gerente de la mina.Todos menos dos de los mineros heridos fueron tratados y liberados de los hospitales del área, dijeron las autoridades el domingo.El accidente ocurrió a las 7:20 (9:20 a.m. hora del este) en los ingresos-Virginius plata, plomo, zinc, cobre y la mina de oro cerca de Telluride en el Condado de Ouray, dijeron las autoridades.Rory Williams, director del proyecto de la mina, dijo que la estación de NBC KUSA de Denver que no sabía lo que pudo haber llevado a la liberación de los humos, que dijo que era muy raro. Estaba investigando a los Estados Unidos mina Safety and Health Administration, dijo.Williams, quien dijo que estaba "entristecido" por las muertes, no lanzar nombres de las víctimas, diciendo que dependía de sus familias.Ver los mejores videos en MSNBC.comEsta historia fue publicada originalmente en domingo, 17 de noviembre de 2013 9:49 PM EST