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HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado (AP) – The three students who disarmed an armed man during a shootout at a Colorado school jumped out of their office without saying a word and not thinking about their safety when they have spotted the weapon, told one of the young men.
They slammed the teenager, one of their classmates, against the wall and struggled with him when gunshots rang out. Kendrick Castillo, who led the charge, collapsed to the ground.
His close friend, Brendan Bialy, repulsed the gun and called Castillo. Bialy said Wednesday at a room filled with reporters that he did not remember what had happened the day before at the STEM Highlands School Ranch.
"Kendrick is a hero," said Bialy. "He was at one foot of the shooter and instead of running in the opposite direction, he ran towards him."
Authorities said the actions of Castillo, Bialy, and Joshua Jones had played down the bloodshed caused by Tuesday's attack at the school south of Denver, which had injured eight students and killed the young man, Castillo, 18 years old.
Among the injured were Jones, who was hit twice, according to a statement released by his family.
Bialy acknowledged that he was scared, but he said that he was not going to fear the shooters that he repeatedly called cowards.
"They lost," he said of the shooters. "They completely and completely lost to good people."
Law enforcement officials identified the assailants as Devon Erickson, 18, and Maya McKinney, 16, whose attorney used the lawyer, who uses pronouns masculine and the name of Alec. The two men entered STEM School Highlands Ranch via an entrance without metal detectors and reportedly opened fire in two classrooms.
With the attack just a few miles from Columbine High School and only weeks after the 20th anniversary of the shooting, questions quickly arose as to whether it was inspired by the 1999 massacre. offered no immediate reason.
A member of the school's robotics club and relentless handyman, Castillo had a contagious smile and a sense of gentle humor, according to friends. He worked part-time at a local manufacturing company that offered him a job after an internship because he was such an employee.
"To find out that he's become a hero, I'm not surprised – it's exactly who Kendrick is," said Rachel Short, president of Baccara Corporation.
Cecilia Bedard, 19, knew Castillo from elementary school and said he was always friendly, modest and eager to help others. He made a point of always joining his father at the Knights of Columbus fundraisers and bingo nights.
"He was amazing," Bédard said. "He was honestly the nicest kid I've ever met .. Never said a naughty joke."
The security officer who arrested the second armed suspect was employed by Boss High Level Protection, a company created by a former SWAT team leader who had reacted to the shooting in Columbine. The owner, Grant Whitus, told The Associated Press that the security guard is a former sailor who ran to the scene of the shooting and confronted one of the armed students in a hallway.
The guard unsheathed his weapon and apprehended the person, said Whitus.
"He does not even realize how many lives he saved by stopping a school shootout," Whitus said.
The two suspects were students at the school and they were not previously known to authorities, Spurlock said.
Erickson made his first court appearance on Wednesday and kept his head down. His black hair, streaked with purple dye, covered his face as he nodded in response to most questions from Judge Theresa Slade. At one point, the judge asked for a verbal response to know if he had any questions about the procedure. Erickson simply answered "No"
McKinney, who has a short brown haircut, made eye contact with the judge and answered questions in a clear but calm voice, saying "Yes, your honor" and "No, your honor".
Attorney General George Brauchler said that he had not yet decided to file a complaint against an adult, but he added that McKinney was of age to be charged as an adult without judicial review.
Formal charges were to be filed by Friday. Brauchler stated that he could not speak of any motive or weapon used during the attack.
Brauchler said the community remained resilient to many shootings, including the 1999 massacre at a school in Columbine, the 2012 theater shootings in Aurora, a suburb of Denver, and the 2013 Arapahoe High School shootings. .
The attacks are "aberrant acts", although they may seem different to the rest of the world, he said. "What we are is a kind, compassionate and caring people, and that does not define us."
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