Six teenagers were wounded Monday in a shooting near a high school in Colorado, authorities said. Aurora police said there are likely multiple suspects responsible for the shooting, all of whom remain on the loose.
The shooting occurred in Nome Park, which is across the street from Aurora Central High School, just before 1:00 p.m. local time, police said in a statement. Five students between the ages of 14 and 17 were found wounded at the scene, and an additional 18-year-old student self-transported to the hospital with "minor" injuries.
Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said initial evidence suggests that some suspects may have been on foot, while others were in a vehicle. She said there were multiple shell casings of different calibers at the scene.
"When I got the call, my heart dropped," Wilson said at a press conference on Monday afternoon.
Wilson said she believes first responders "saved a life." In a statement late Monday night, police said first responders applied tourniquets to two of the victims to stem their bleeding.
More than 2,000 students attended the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
One student in emergency surgery
Of the six wounded victims, one is in emergency surgery, according to Vanessa Wilson, Aurora's police chief. Wilson said she believes first responders, who applied a tourniquet to that student on the scene, "saved a life."
Police believe there are multiple suspects
Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said she believes there is more than one suspect in the shooting, but did not provide additional details. Wilson said there may be security camera footage of the shooting, and asked the public to share any information they have.
There was a heavy police presence at both the shooting scene and the Aurora Central High School.
6 teens injured in shooting
Five teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 were hospitalized. The cause and extent of their injuries are not yet clear.
Police said an 18-year-old transported themselves to the hospital and was being treated for "minor" injuries.
Witness says they heard 30 to 50 shots
A witness, Henry Martinez, told CBS Denver that they heard what sounded like 30 to 50 shots fired.
