Maya McKinney, a transgender student who identified as Alec, was identified as the second shooter in the mass shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Douglas County, Colorado. McKinney, a 16-year-old female who identifies as a male, could still be charged as an adult. McKinney is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder
McKinney is one of the gunmen who open-fired at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math School in Highlands Ranch which resulted in the death of Kendrick Castillo and injured many others.
It was reported that multiple students, including Castillo and aspiring Marine Brendan Bialy, approached the gunmen when they began shooting at their peers.
What Happened at STEM School Highlands Ranch?
Alec McKinney and a second suspect, 18-year-old Devon Erickson, opened fire at the STEM School complex in the Denver, Colorado area on Tuesday, May 7. Following reports of the shooting, the school was immediately placed on lockdown as police responded to the scene. Police asked civilians nearby to avoid the area while they responded to the scene. At least 8 people were taken to the hospital, four of which in serious condition. One person, 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, was killed. Castillo reportedly died as a result of bravery as he attempted to disarm one of the gunmen. Police said that the two shooters began in two different locations in the school complex.“This is a terrible event,” Sheriff Spurlock said in a statement to reporters in the aftermath of the shooting.
About STEM School Highlands Ranch
STEM School Highlands Ranch, located in Douglas County, Colorado, is a school complex that serves grades K-12.
Mass Shootings in the United States
The reports of a shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch is just the latest in a string of school lockdowns, code reds, bomb threats, and active shootings that have plagued American schools in recent years. Despite the increasing number of mass shootings, our nation’s lawmakers have yet to make effective changes to our laws that better protect our citizens.