The body of a Denver high school shooting suspect is found near his car

Caption

A parent hugs a student as they are reunited after a school shooting at East High School Wednesday, March 22, 2023, in Denver. Two school administrators were shot at the high school Wednesday morning after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said. / AP

Updated March 23, 2023 at 9:24 AM ET

Local authorities said a body was found Wednesday night near the vehicle of the 17-year-old student who was accused in the shootings of two administrators of the Colorado high school that he attended.

The Park County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday night that a "deceased person" was located near the vehicle, and that a warning for residents to shelter in place had been lifted. Hours later, the Park County Medical Examiner's Office identified the body as Austin Lyle, the suspect in the shootings.

Earlier in the day, emergency responders received calls of the shooting at around 9:50 a.m. local time, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas and other officials said. The shootings occurred Denver's East High School, police said.

By Wednesday afternoon, one of the victims was undergoing surgery and the second was in stable condition at a hospital. No other injuries were reported, according to Colorado Public Radio/Denverite.

Local paramedics were already at the school treating another student who was suffering an allergic reaction. Those paramedics were able to quickly begin treating the two injured administrators.

At the time of the shooting, Lyle was undergoing a regular morning search before he entered the school. This was part of a safety plan agreement established with him due to prior behavioral issues. He previously never brought in a weapon, until Wednesday, officials said. The shooting took place at a front office of the school and away from other students and staff.

Lyle then fled the school.

Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero said during a news conference with local authorities that the school will not be in session for the rest of the week. Two armed officers will remain at East High School until the end of the year, after which the school will consider next steps to improve security, he said.

In 2020, Denver's public school system decided to remove its in-school Denver Police Department officers, which had monitored the school campuses, out of concerns for the treatment of young students of color, according to Denverite.

This recent tragedy comes as the East High School community is still mourning the loss of student Luis Garcia. In February, the 16-year-old was shot outside of the school while sitting in his car. He died more than two weeks later.

Following his death, East High School students staged a walkout to demand action on gun violence, according to the activist group Students Demand Action.

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