3 Denver schools lift lockout after shots fired near schools during robbery

DENVER – Police are still looking for 3 or 4 young men, who they say fired a couple of shots at a car during an attempted robbery near North High School.

The gunfire lead to a lock-out at North High, Valdez Elementary and Academy of Urban Learning.

Eric Graybill was working in the neighborhood just east of the school, when he heard the shots.

“I had just walked out to my work van,” he said. “I heard a couple of people yelling.  It was off in the distance, probably a block away, and then I just heard two gunshots, ‘pow, pow,’ and that was it.”

Police found some spent shell casings in an alley between W. Argyle Place and W. Caithness Place a short time later.

They said two of the young men involved apparently bolted eastward into the neighborhood.  The others ran west, toward the high school itself.

That led to some confusion.

There was talk that the SWAT Team might be sent into North High, but police later said that was not the case.

“Two students who were walking in the area shortly afterward, told Denver7 that police approached them.

“Police started following us, but they didn’t see nothing,” one said.  “We weren’t doing anything bad, so they just left.”   

“It’s scary knowing gunshot are around where you are,” the other said.

“Initial reports were that some of our students at North High School may have been involved in a crime,” said Will Jones, director of media relations at Denver Public Schools.  “Fortunately, after working with Denver Police, they were able to determine that no student at NHS was involved in ths.”

Jones told Denver7 that none of the students at North High were ever in danger.

“That’s a good thing,” he said.

When asked if the suspects knew the victim or if the attempted robbery was random, Police Department spokeswoman Christine Downs said she didn’t know.

“Thankfully, nobody was injured during this encounter,” she said.  “There are still 3 or 4 people that we are looking for.  If anyone saw somebody running from the scene, or knows who they are… if they could contact Denver Police, we’d appreciate that.”

#ALERT: #DPD responding to shots fired near 32nd and Clay St. No injuries reported. Officers in area investigating.

— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) September 21, 2016