HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado — The parents of a teenager shot and killed at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado on Tuesday say their son was a hero, and they want the public to know what a great kid he was.
John Castillo confirmed Wednesday that his son, Kendrick Castillo, was the 18-year-old killed in the shooting that left eight others injured.
“I want people to know about him,” John Castillo said through tears.
Kendrick Castillo was a senior at STEM School and Friday would have been his last day of school. Photos from social media show the young man participating in competitions with the school’s robotics team and posing with friends before attending his first prom.
Castillo was killed when two students entered STEM School armed with handguns just before 2 p.m. Tuesday and opened fire. Eight students were injured and three students remained in area hospitals Wednesday morning, officials said.
Authorities said they had two suspects in custody — an adult male and a juvenile.
STEM School Highlands Ranch will be closed for at least the rest of the week, the district said Tuesday night. Other Douglas County schools are open Wednesday but have extra security on-site. There are grief counselors available for the STEM community at the school, and there will be a crisis support center available to all STEM School students and families at the St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch starting at 8 a.m.
