Aurora Central High School Families Troubled With Amount Of Violence Recently
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Aurora Police are calling for help from the public in trying to solve the shootings of six young people midday Monday in Nome Park a few blocks southwest of Peoria Street and Colfax Avenue. The park is just north of Aurora Central High School.
"I don't know what's going on at this school, I know they're trying to do the best that they can to protect these children," said parent Evette Mitchell, who has a 9th grader at the school. "This is a lot of violence. It's been since the first day of school."
Six students were injured in the shooting. One student was in emergency surgery Monday afternoon, but all are expected to survive. The students were four males, ages, 14, 16, 17 and 18 and two girls, aged 15 and 16.
"I saw the girl, she was there. She was laying down. There was a lot blood," said a student who wanted her identity withheld. She had seen a vehicle pass as the shooting started. "He almost crashed into us and after that that's when we started hearing gunshots."
Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said school resource officers were the first to get to the scene and applied tourniquets to two students who needed them.
"I'm just thankful that the SROs were where they were at the time and that these kids hopefully are all going to come out of this with their lives," Wilson said.
Neighbors though said they believed the officers were not often enough, leaving school grounds to visit the park where there's been trouble.
"They kind of just hang out freely over here and you know do whatever the hell they want," said Henry Martinez. He heard what he thought was about 30 to 50 shots. "Hopefully they survive, but it's just sad to see you know such young people willing to throw their lives away for nothing. For some little problem they had with each other."
"We are disgusted by this and other senseless acts of violence," said a statement from Aurora Schools superintendent Rico Munn. "We will have additional mental health professionals at Aurora Central High School available for students and staff as needed. In addition, we will continue to have an increased security presence at and around the school."
Williams asked for help from people who might have images on cameras to share with them and hoped that parents would be talking with their children.
"I'm hoping that there are kids out there that know why this happened… I need you to talk to your kids and I need them to please come forward if you have information."
There's already a $2,000 reward available through Crimestoppers, where information can be given anonymously.
