Students kill classmate, injure 8 at school near Columbine

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado — Two high school students shot and killed a classmate and injured eight others at a charter school in a Colorado community that marked the 20th anniversary of one of the nation’s worst school shootings just weeks ago.

Douglas County sheriff’s officials said Devon Erickson, 18, and a younger student walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch Tuesday afternoon and opened fire on students in two classrooms, prompting students to run shouting through the halls or to hide out of sight as gunfire echoed through school.

“At the moment no one really knew what was going on so I didn’t know they were bullets,” said seventh-grader Sophia Marks. “I just kind of saw like flashes and we heard bangs.”

Within minutes, deputies at a nearby sheriff’s department substation entered the school and arrested the two suspects after a struggle. Both were students at the school and they were not previously known to authorities, Sheriff Tony Spurlock said.

Josh Dutton, 18, told The Associated Press that he was close friends with Devon Erickson in middle school but hadn’t seen him for four years as he went to a different high school. On Sunday, he spotted Erickson at a local light rail station and said he was shocked at how much his friend had changed.

Erickson wore all black, a hat and sunglasses, was significantly skinnier and didn’t seem interested in talking.

“He said he’d just turned 18 and he owned rifles,” Dutton said.

A message left at a phone number listed for Erickson’s home was not immediately returned.

The shooting took place exactly a week after a gunman killed two students and wounded four at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. It also comes nearly three weeks after neighboring Littleton marked the grim 20th anniversary of the Columbine school massacre that killed 13 people. The two schools are separated by about 7 miles (11 kilometers) in adjacent communities south of Denver.

“Tragically, this community and those surrounding it know all too well these hateful and horrible acts of violence,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

President Donald Trump had been briefed on the shooting and was in touch with state and local officials, Deere said.

“The heart of all Colorado is with the victims and their families,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement.

STEM is a public charter school with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. It has more than 1,850 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

As the gunfire rang out, students ran through the halls shouting “School shooter!”  Some wondered at first if it was a joke or a drill.

Chris Elledge, 15, said his teacher told the class to hide behind weight equipment in the room, where they stayed until police arrived.

“They busted in the room, and they were asking if there was any suspects in the room, if we were OK, and they escorted us out to go out to the front of the building,” Elledge said.

Frantic parents used their cellphones to find their children as news of the shooting spread. Sophia Marks’ mother, Sara Marks, said she has two other children who also go to the school.

“When you have no idea what’s going on and the children are texting you that they’re hiding under a desk and bullets are hitting their window, or things are hitting their window, it’s a horrible feeling,” she said.

Three hospitals reported treating eight people in connection with the attack, including two who were listed in serious condition. At least four others were released by Tuesday night.

Fernando Montoya told television station KMGH that his 17-year-old son was shot three times but was expected to make a full recovery.

“Thank God he is fine,” Montoya said. “Even though he got shot, he’s OK. He’s going to walk out on his feet, so I’m glad. We’re so lucky.” /kga

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Competitor dies in swim leg of Boulder Ironman triathlon

BOULDER, Colo. — An athlete died a day after he was pulled from the water during the Boulder Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Colorado. It was the third death in four years of Ironman competitions in Boulder.

A witness, physician Donald Cain from Wisconsin, told the Daily Camera in Boulder that a man was pulled from the water on Saturday, and Ironman officials say the athlete died Sunday. The Boulder County coroner identified the man as 50-year-old Scott Michaelis, of Wichita, Kansas.

A 70.3 triathlon, or half Ironman, involves swimming 1.2 miles (1.9 kilometers), biking 56 miles (90 kilometers) and running 13.1 miles (21 kilometers).


Thirty-four-year-old Michelle Walters, of McCook, Nebraska, died after being struck by a vehicle during the 2016 race, and 40-year-old Brian Godlove of Fairfax, Virginia, died three days after a 2015 race from dehydration and muscle tissue breakdown.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Death toll from Colorado floods rises to eight

LOS ANGELES — The confirmed death toll from massive floods in the US state of Colorado has risen to eight, while more than 600 people remain unaccounted for, officials said early Tuesday.

Helicopters resumed search and rescue missions, helped by clearer weather after days of torrential rain that has left over 1,500 homes destroyed and more than 17,000 damaged.

Five teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are bolstering hundreds of state and local officers trying to reach hundreds of residents stranded by the floods, centered on Boulder County north of Denver.

“We have a strong opportunity here, with FEMA’s help, to come out of this whole situation with a stronger infrastructure,” Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper told a press briefing.

On Sunday, heavy rain prevented helicopters from taking off for most of the day as officials put the number of people unaccounted for at more than 1,200 across the western state.

But on Monday there was even blue sky in some areas, allowing some 21 helicopters to take to the air.

“We are hoping to take advantage of the weather today and get those rescue operations complete,” spokeswoman Micki Trost of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management was quoted as saying by the Denver Post.

In all eight people have died, including three in Boulder County, two in El Paso County, two missing presumed dead in Larimer County, and one from an as yet undetermined locality, said the Colorado Office of Emergency management (COEM) in its latest update.

The number of people unaccounted for stood at 658 Monday it said, stressing however that that number was “approximate and changing,” as rescue crews gained access to more places, and as stranded people got in touch with authorities to confirm they were alright.

In all 11,700 people have been evacuated, the COEM said. A total of 17,994 residential structures have been damaged, and 1,502 destroyed.

Many of the missing may simply be unable to report their whereabouts, but Hickenlooper warned that the death toll may increase. “There are many, many homes that have been destroyed,” he said.

Rain began pelting the western state early last week, with Boulder especially hard hit, seeing 7.2 inches (18.3 centimeters) of precipitation in about 15 hours starting Wednesday night.

Flash floods have afflicted 15 counties down a 200-mile (320-kilometer) north-south section of the Front Range, where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains, the Colorado Office of Emergency Management said.

“We’ve got a heck of a lot of communities dealing with a heck of a lot of water,” Jennifer Finch, a spokeswoman for Weld County northeast of Boulder, told Denver Channel 7 News on Sunday.

On Sunday, traffic on Interstate 25, Colorado’s main north-south thoroughfare just east of the mountain range, was brought to a halt by water covering two of the three southbound lanes, according to an AFP correspondent on the road.

President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in Colorado and ordered federal aid to support state and local efforts. Hickenlooper called the widespread flooding “a heck of a storm.”

Although skies were clearer Monday, weather forecasters warned that scattered storms could still dump up to an inch of rain in less than 30 minutes, according to KUSA-TV.

Drier, warmer weather conditions are due to return to the battered state on Tuesday, lasting through to Thursday when there is a chance of showers through the region, it said.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

David Duval FORE!!! ... closure

Golf superstar David Duval has made more than $18 million on the PGA Tour ... which is why it's pretty shocking that his Colorado mansion is in the middle of some major foreclosure drama.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, David and his wife Suzanne took out a loan for $5.9 million back in 2005 to buy a $12.35 million home in Cherry Hills Village, CO ... a suburb of Denver near Payton Manning's new home.



But the bank claims Duval has failed to make his payments ... and now it's going after the golfer's home to get it's money.

According to documents, the home will be put up for public auction on November 7 ... unless Duval can come up with the money.

We reached out to David -- so far no word back. We also called David's former agent hoping to get a comment ... but we were told the golfer has parted ways with the agency and is now representing himself.

source: tmz.com

Jessica Ghawi's Brother Blogs Her Chilling Final Moments

Jordan Ghawi received one of the most horrific phone calls imaginable early Friday morning.

His mother, "hysterical and almost unintelligible," phoned with news that his sister, 24-year-old Jessica Ghawi, had been shot at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colo., Jordan blogged Friday.

Twelve people were killed and 59 more injured by alleged gunman James Holmes, who reportedly later called himself The Joker.


Jordan, 26, a student, firefighter and paramedic in Texas, traveled to Colorado on Friday morning and wrote in detail about his sister's final moments, as told to him by their mutual friend Brent.

"Jessica and Brent were seated in the middle portion of the theatre when a device was thrown into the theatre that produced a 'hissing' sound," Jordan wrote. "The theatre then began to fill with smoke which is when patrons began to move from their seats. At that time, shots were fired."

He continued in chilling detail.



Brent and Jessica dropped for cover. "Brent then heard Jessica scream and noticed that she was struck by a round in the leg," Jordan wrote. "Brent, began holding pressure on the wound and attempted to calm Jessica."

"It was at this time that Brent took a round to his lower extremities. While still administering first aid, Brent noticed that Jessica was no longer screaming. He advised that he looked over to Jessica and saw what appeared to be an entry wound to her head."

Jordan later wrote that he received word from the coroner's office that his sister indeed died from injuries sustained during the shooting.

"Let us remember the names of the victims and not the name of the coward who committed this act," Jordan Tweeted Friday afternoon.

A total of 71 moviegoers were shot at the Century 16 Theater at the Town Center Mall in Aurora.

source: people.com

James Holmes Fellow Inmates 'Talking About Killing' Him

Recently released inmates at Arapahoe Detention Center in Colorado are saying the only thing the inmates still inside can talk about ... is killing James Holmes ... this according to a new report.

Wayne Medley told the NY Daily News, "All the inmates were talking about killing him. Everyone was looking for an opportunity. It's all they could talk about."

The paper says Holmes is in solitary confinement and was placed on suicide watch. Another inmate, Dima Damalov, told the paper that if Holmes was released into the general population he wouldn't "live to see Monday's court appearance."

A jail employee said Holmes "hasn't shown any remorse" while an unidentified inmate told the paper, "He was spitting at the door and spitting at the guards. He's spitting at everything. Dude was acting crazy."


Holmes is due in court for the first time on Monday. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

source: TMZ

Colorado shooting: 'Dark Knight' plays with tight security, undercover cops

Amid tightened security, "The Dark Knight Rises" screened at movie theaters across Southern California on Friday without major incident.

Police were out in force both inside and outside theaters in the wake of the shooting in Colorado that left 12 people dead.

Officials said they were concerned about possible copycats as well as troublemakers who might use the fears sparked by the shooting to cause mayhem at theaters.

The Los Angeles Police Department, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and smaller law enforcement agencies plan extra patrols through the weekend and beyond at theaters.

Theaters also tightened security. At the Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live in downtown, ushers checked the purses of some patrons before they entered the show.

“I am outraged by the cowardly attack on innocent movie patrons in Colorado last night," LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those innocent victims. Since Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, it is important that we all remain vigilant and do everything we can to prevent incidents like this from occurring in our communities. Remember, if you see something, say something.”

Long Beach police will also be on alert.

"Although it does appear to be an isolated incident, we are always concerned a violent act of this scale could occur at a place where the public gathers. We hope a tragedy like this never takes place in our community, but we continuously train and are prepared to respond should this type of situation ever arise," said Patrol Deputy Chief Robert Luna.

The San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department have both instructed beat officers to make extra patrols near theaters showing “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Deputies have had “active-shooter” training, some as recently as this week, on how to respond to calls about a shooter stalking a crowded space such as a school, mall or theater, said sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell.

San Diego police officers have been encouraged “to make contact with the theater management to be aware of what is going on and [tell managers] to call if they notice suspicious behavior or have problems,” said department spokesman Lt. Andra Brown.

In Aurora, Colo., where the shootings occurred, Mayor Steve Hogan told reporters, “We’ve taken a blow today, but we’ll get back on our feet.”

Ten people died in the theater, two at hospitals. Fifty-nine were wounded, said Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates, adding that “many” were in critical condition.

Some of the injured were children, taken by adults to see a movie starring a comic book hero. At University Hospital, spokesman Chris Casey said, 23 people were treated, ranging in age from 3 months to 45 years.

source: latimes.com

Colorado theater shooting victims' families wait for news

AURORA, Colo. — Jessica Ghawi narrowly escaped a murderous rampage at a shopping center in Toronto last month, deciding to leave a food court where, moments later, a gunman killed two people and wounded six others.

The incident, and her narrow escape, deeply moved her.

"I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday," Ghawi wrote on her blog. "I saw the terror on bystanders' faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath."





In a wicked twist of fate, the aspiring sports journalist was killed Friday in an early morning massacre in a Colorado theater, along with at least 11 others, by a gunman wielding an assault-style rifle, a shotgun, a handgun and canisters of a noxious chemical. Police said 59 others were wounded.

Officials had not released names of the dead or wounded, but some relatives and friends stepped forward to identify a handful of victims, or used social media to convey their grief.

Ghawi — who went by the name Jessica Redfield professionally — had red hair and a gleam in her eye. She was in her early 20s, with a big heart and big plans, her friends said.

About a year ago, she moved to Denver from San Antonio to pursue her career, her brother, Jordan, told Denver TV station KUSA. She worked as an intern at 104.3 The Fan, a Denver sports radio station, which posted a tribute to her on its home page. She was also involved with the You Can Play Project, a gay-rights group that supports equality in the locker room.

Her friend Peter Burns, a sports radio host, told CNN that he recently met with Ghawi to discuss her idea to provide free sports equipment — especially hockey gear — to kids who had lost theirs in the Colorado wildfires.

"She wanted to help," said her brother. "That's the type of heart she had. That's the type of person she was."

On her blog, Ghawi's personality shone through. "I specialize in sports media and snark," she wrote. "Not your typical sarcastic feisty redhead attempting to perfect the trifecta of class, sass, and crass. Yankee born, Texas raised, Colorado blooming."

Hours before the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," Ghawi joked on Twitter that she'd had to "coerce" a guy into going with her. She was with her ex-boyfriend and good friend Brent Lowak, who was visiting from San Antonio, said Lowak's father, Larry. Brent Lowak was shot and underwent successful surgery, his father told a San Antonio TV station.

Jordan Ghawi, writing on his blog, gave an account of his sister's last moments after he spoke with Brent Lowak.

When shots rang out, Lowak and Jessica Ghawi immediately dropped to the floor, Jordan Ghawi wrote.

Lowak called 911, heard Ghawi scream and realized that she had been shot in the leg. He applied pressure to her wound but was soon shot himself.

"While still administering first aid, Brent noticed that Jessica was no longer screaming," Ghawi wrote. "He looked over to Jessica and saw what appeared to be an entry wound to her head."

Lowak made it outside and immediately called Ghawi's mother.

A short while later, Jordan Ghawi wrote, "I received an hysterical, and almost unintelligible, phone call from my mother stating that my sister, Jessica Ghawi, had been shot."

The wounded ranged from three months to 45 years old, according to hospitals. Most appeared to be teenagers and young adults.

A Navy sailor is believed to be among the dead.

Dabbing at wounds that ran in a dotted line from her upper thigh to her ankle, Patricia Legarreta, 24, recounted the terror she felt for her small children when the attack began.

She and her boyfriend, Jamie Rohrs, had taken their 4-month-old son and 4-year old daughter to the movie, thinking the kids would sleep through it. Badly wounded in the leg, she put a child on each hip and ran for the exit.

"I need to get out," she recalled thinking. "My kids are not going to die in here." Neither child was hurt.

As some families learned the fate of loved ones, others were caught in a terrible limbo, knowing a family member had been wounded but unable to find any information. In a midday press conference, police announced that 10 bodies remained inside the theater but did not release the names of the dead.

Greg Medek's youngest child, 23-year-old Micayla, was shot, but her friends were told by authorities to leave her in the theater, her relatives said. Her fate was not immediately known.

Cayla, as she liked to be called, worked at Subway and described herself on Facebook as "a simple, independent girl who's just trying to get her life together while still having fun."

Her aunt, Jenny Zakovich of South Milwaukee, Wis., said Micayla's friends told family members they tried to carry her out of the theater but were instructed to leave her.

"She was coughing and she fell to the ground, and that's when the police or whoever was trying to help her ushered them out and said 'There is nothing you can do,'" Zakovich said. "That makes me think she was critical and they couldn't move her."

Micayla did not have her ID, her aunt said.

Greg Medek called his sister Friday morning.

"He was absolutely hysterical, just sobbing, 'I want to get my baby and bring her home,'" Zakovich said. "He feels she is lying on the floor of the theater and it is making him insane. His 81-year-old mother here, she is hysterical, she doesn't know what to do. When I asked how his wife is doing, he said, 'Not good.'"

Medek and Micayla's older sister, Amanda, spent much of Friday going from hospital to hospital, showing Micayla's picture to law enforcement officials, not knowing if she was alive.

"I just want to hear she's not one of the ones laying in the theater," her aunt said. "I keep looking at her Facebook page, hoping she will say, 'I am OK.' But there's nothing."

source: latimes.com

Guitarist Ronnie Montrose Dead at 64

Ronnie Montrose, who is best known for his fiery guitar work as a member of the band Montrose, died Saturday. It is believed that the cause of death was prostate cancer, which he had been battling for the past few years.

"A few months ago, we held a surprise party for Ronnie Montrose's 64th birthday," a statement said on Montrose's official website. "He gave an impromptu speech, and told us that after a long life, filled with joy and hardship, he didn't take any of our love for granted. He passed today. He'd battled cancer, and staved off old age for long enough. And true to form, he chose his own exit the way he chose his own life. We miss him already, but we're glad to have shared with him while we could."

Born in Denver, Colorado, Montrose got his first break when he was invited to play on Van Morrison's 1971 album, Tupelo Honey. Additional appearances on recordings by Herbie Hancock, Boz Scaggs, and the Edgar Winter Group soon followed before he formed his own band, Montrose, in 1973. In addition to the guitarist, the band consisted of a then-unknown Sammy Hagar on vocals, as well as bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi.

The quartet issued one of rock's all-time great debuts that year, their Zeppelin-esque album, Montrose, which spawned such soon-to-be hard rock standards as "Rock the Nation," "Bad Motor Scooter," "Space Station #5," "Rock Candy" and "Make It Last," all of which featured Montrose's tasty guitar playing. Hagar, however, would only remain with the band for one more release (1974's Paper Money) before exiting the group.

Still, the two Hagar/Montrose albums proved influential to subsequent bands, as evidenced by all the rock acts covering Montrose tunes, including Iron Maiden, who covered "I've Got the Fire" and "Space Station #5." Interestingly, Van Halen (the group Hagar would eventually front for two separate stints) would cover the songs "Rock Candy" and "Make It Last" during their early club days.

Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/guitarist-ronnie-montrose-dead-at-64-20120304

Data Recovery Denver - Assisting In Critical Data Recovery

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