Bailey – The 5,000 pages in a state report on last year’s fatal Platte Canyon High School shooting contain detail, “some difficult and unwanted; some essential,” the family of the slain victim said Thursday.
But, the family of Emily Keyes said, “There is nothing ‘new’ in the report. Just more.”
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s five-volume report on the Sept. 27 incident in which the 16-year-old was killed was made available to the public Thursday. There were few takers other than the media.
In March, the CBI released a summary report that outlined how Keyes was one of seven female high school students taken hostage by Duane Mor rison, a 53-year-old drifter.
Morrison threatened to blow up the school and sexually assaulted some of the hostages.
Morrison gradually released some of the girls. After four hours, SWAT officers stormed the classroom. Morrison shot Keyes and then himself. Officers shot Morrison three times.
The report includes graphic photos of the classroom and Morrison. There are no photos of Keyes.
The Keyes family said in a statement that it finds no fault in actions by law enforcement or the school.
Emily’s mother, Ellen Stoddard-Keyes, said she read every page, although her husband and Emily’s father, John- Michael Keyes, read only some of it.
“I had to know how Emily’s day was. I had to see this before it was made public so I can own this privately in my heart,” Stoddard-Keyes said.
“Losing Emily was crushing to our family and community, but also to the people who work every day to improve and rescue lives,” Stoddard-Keyes wrote. “The best people did the best things and a lightning strike still happened.”
Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener said the report’s release “probably won’t have a whole lot of impact.”
The community and survivors are doing well, Wegener said. “But the anniversary is coming up, and things will come up.”
Few in this town knew about the release or wanted to review the report.
“I’m not interested,” said resident Michael Bilcher. “I don’t need to know. I know too much about it already.”
James Walpole, superintendent of the Platte Canyon School District, said some residents, students and faculty continue to need mental health services, which are offered through the district, Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group and Park County victims’ assistance program.
With classes beginning Aug. 20, Wegener said there are concerns about safety, particularly in finding money to hire a second school resource officer.
Wegener said law enforcement agencies should take lessons from what happened in Bailey, particularly in developing an intimate knowledge of schools and staff.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
