STEM School Shooting Trial: Brendan Bialy Describes Disarming Devon Erickson
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - One of the students who helped take down a shooter at STEM High School Highlands Ranch testified in the trial of Devon Erickson on Friday. When the gunman entered Room 107 on May 7, 2019, Brendan Bialy, Joshua Jones and Kendrick Castillo all rushed to subdue him. Castillo was killed. Jones was shot twice but survived. Bialy was not seriously injured. He took the stand Friday morning.
Prosecutor George Brauchler, the former District Attorney, showed Bialy photos of the Room 107 -- along with a three-dimensional model -- and asked Bialy to describe where he, Castillo and Jones were sitting.
Bialy said they were watching the 'Princess Bride' and said the room was dim. He said Erickson got up several times, entering and exiting the room.
Bialy said Erickson reentered the classroom through the door nearest to where he was sitting, carrying a guitar case.
"The defendant drops his guitar case on the ground to his left, right next to that recycling bin, he draws a Glock handgun, and says, 'Nobody ******* move.'"
Bialy said Erickson pointed the gun "indiscriminately" into the classroom.
Bialy then described how he, Castillo and Jones jumped up and rushed to disarm Erickson.
Bialy said Castillo reached Erickson first, and he arrived about a second later. He said Castillo was "delivering blows" to Erickson. He said Erickson fired "one or two rounds" at that point.
Jones reached them then, and Bialy said he and Jones pinned Erickson face down on the ground. Bialy said Erickson was still reaching for the trigger and resisting.
"He is very much still attempting to get up... he's deliberately attempting, he was deliberately turning the firearm back toward Josh's and my heads, with his finger attempting to reach the trigger."
Bialy said he punched Erickson a few times.
"I had to fight for the handgun," Bialy said. "Josh and I had to take our fingers and pry his hand off the firearm."
Once Erickson was disarmed, Bialy said he stopped resisting.
"[Erickson] said, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Alec [McKinney] made me do it.'"
Bialy said Jones continued to pin Erickson down, and he could see blood on Jones' leg.
Bialy said he said he didn't know Castillo had been shot until they had disarmed Erickson.
Bialy said Castillo was barely breathing. Bialy said he rolled Castillo onto his back and said, "You alright, Kendrick? Stay with me."
At that point, Bialy said Jones asked for his phone -- to call his mom.
Bialy said he got his own phone and called 911.
Bialy said he looked for something to use to put pressure on Castillo's wounds -- and Erickson told him he had a sweatshirt out in the hall.
Bialy said he went to the door and saw the STEM security guard had Alec McKinney handcuffed and face down on the floor in the hall.
The security guard had a gun drawn and fired one or two rounds as they heard someone approach.
Bialy said that's when law enforcement officers arrived, and the guard threw down his gun and announced himself as security.
"Did you ever go back in Room 107?" Brauchler asked.
"No," Bialy answered.
"Did you ever see Kendrick again?" Brauchler asked.
"Yes," Bialy said. "He was being carried out by EMS."
