Im thankful the security guard was there, present, and engaged in stopping the carnage. With the previous 50% SRO who had attendance issues due to illness, there may have been no security or LE of any sort present if the school had not taken the initiative to hire their own full time security service.
Yes, he likely fired his weapon, and we know there were at least TWO active shooters at that time.
No one has suggested that his actions were reckless or criminal. From every report and indication, the security guard was was rapidly THERE in one of the classrooms with gunfire, engaged in protecting the students, and stopping and restraining the shooter until LEO's arrived.
Should he have run and hid himself instead? Like the SRO in Parkland?? Should he have given the shooter a hug? Tried to reason with an active shooter? No, I don't think so. He immediately engaged in the situation to STOP the shooter. He's a former deputy and a veteran. He knew what to do, and he did it without hesitation, and saved lives. By every single report.
I don't think we should insinuate or malign the security guard's actions at this point, and suggest his actions were criminal. That is enormously offensive, IMO.
No one has given any indication his actions are considered potentially criminal in this context, and his actions have been openly praised for helping to stop the shooter. He is fully cooperating with the investigation.
The security guard present at STEM has an impressive resume. I'm glad he was there. I'm thankful for his dedication and bravery. I'm doubtful that he will face any criminal charges.
Police rushed into the school immediately after arriving. Three students had tackled one of the gunmen in a classroom and disarmed him, according to student accounts.
Senior Kendrick Castillo died in the school after he helped tackle the gunman.
A security guard contracted by the school was able to restrain that suspect until deputies arrived.
Law enforcement did not exchange gunfire with the teen suspects, Spurlock said, though
a security guard may have fired shots during the incident.
STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting timeline: 14 minutes of terror at Colorado school
**STEM still had a contract for a part time, OFF DUTY officer with a patrol car on campus
whose duty was primarily to direct traffic outside 3 hours a day. We have no idea if that LEO was present, but no has said the off duty officer was there during the shooting incident. This is
in addition to their full time private security guard, who is a military veteran and former Jefferson county deputy.
“The unfortunate fact is that schools with and without SROs have experienced violence. With regard to the tragedy on May 7, 2019, we credit both the actions of our private security guard, the team of DCSO law enforcement officials who were on scene within two minutes, and the heroic students and staff members at STEM for minimizing the number of fatalities and casualties.
We expressed our concerns directly to DCSO, and they offered us a better alternative to have a daily part-time, off-duty sheriff’s deputy with a squad car. We supplemented that with full-time private security services provided by BOSS High Level Protection. That combination gave us a significant increase in protection for our staff and students.
And Bronner told Denver7 the school did hire a part-time, off-duty deputy through the Deputy Sheriff Association who provided traffic control at the school for three hours a day on each school day for the 2018-19 school year. The deputy would also walk around inside and outside the school if they had time, Bronner said.
STEM School, sheriff's office disagreed on resource officer
The other question we have to ask is why public and charter schools are charged so much by the county/ state for a full time SRO that they can only afford a 50% contract with another school?
Clearly the private security firm's prices were more affordable for a full time guard. Clearly, the school received a full FTE for the same, or lower price than they would have had for a 50% SRO-- and the service commitment had been a problem for quite a while apparently. I side with the school district on their decision. I understand competing conflicts of budgets, contracts, and service needs. The county was unwilling to provide what they needed, and wanted, for the safety of the kids. I'm glad they pursued other options, as well as keeping the off duty traffic control officer a few hours a day.
DENVER - An armed security guard, employed privately by STEM School Highlands Ranch, helped apprehend one of the shooters Tuesday.
"He probably saved more lives than he thinks he did," said Tyler Christensen, an 8th-grade student who was near the gunshots. "It makes him a hero. To me, he is a hero."
BOSS is a local security agency which contracts with private and charter schools.
"Our guy was instrumental in taking down one of the shooters and we believed he saved a lot of lives," said Grant Whitus, the owner of BOSS.
Whitus also says the guard is a veteran of Marines and a former Jefferson County Sheriff's deputy. Whitus says the man has been a private security guard for about a year.
"He is so upset about children being hurt, he loves that school, he loves the children there and his heart is breaking he couldn't do more," Whitus said. "I assured him there is only so much one person can do."
Private security guard saved lives at STEM school shooting
Hopefully his name will be made public soon so he can be thanked and recognized for his service and actions. I think that will happen the end of next week, after the investigation is further along, and formal charges are filed on the 2 accused.
