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Police probe siege at US school US school gunman 'abused' girls
(40 minutes later)
Police in the US state of Colorado have begun an inquiry into a high school siege which left one teenage student dead along with her abductor. The gunman in a Colorado high school siege which left one girl dead along with the attacker sexually abused some of his hostages, police say.
Officers stormed the school after more than three hours, at which point the lone gunman reportedly shot one of his two hostages and then himself. Naming the attacker as a man from the Denver area in his early 50s, Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener said he did not seem to have links to the school.
"He did traumatise and assault our children - I'll only say that it's sexual in nature," the sheriff said.
The victim at the school in Bailey has been named as Emily Keyes, aged 16.The victim at the school in Bailey has been named as Emily Keyes, aged 16.
Police have not given the name of the gunman, said to be in his 30s or 40s, and no motive was immediately apparent. Officers stormed the school after more than three hours, at which point the lone gunman reportedly shot one of his two hostages and then himself.
"I don't know the identity of the gunman, I don't know why he wanted to do this," said Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener, who has a son at Platte Canyon High School. Sheriff Wegener, who has a son at Platte Canyon High School, named the dead gunman as Duane R Morrison.
Lance Clem, spokesman for the Colorado department of public safety, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that the authorities were investigating whether any of the girls held hostage were sexually assaulted.
The attacker, who appeared in a classroom just before noon (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, initially took six hostages, all of them girls, but gradually released four of them as he talked to police negotiators.The attacker, who appeared in a classroom just before noon (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, initially took six hostages, all of them girls, but gradually released four of them as he talked to police negotiators.
Other students and staff at Platte Canyon and a neighbouring middle school, which have nearly 800 pupils between them, were evacuated during the siege.Other students and staff at Platte Canyon and a neighbouring middle school, which have nearly 800 pupils between them, were evacuated during the siege.
The town of Bailey is only a short drive from Columbine High School, where seven years ago two students killed 13 people before taking their own lives.The town of Bailey is only a short drive from Columbine High School, where seven years ago two students killed 13 people before taking their own lives.
'He shot her''He shot her'
According to police, the siege started when a man took six girls hostage after firing several shots inside the school building.According to police, the siege started when a man took six girls hostage after firing several shots inside the school building.
He held the police at bay using the pupils as a human shield.He held the police at bay using the pupils as a human shield.
Holed up in a second-floor classroom, he told the police he had a bomb in his backpack.Holed up in a second-floor classroom, he told the police he had a bomb in his backpack.
Four of the hostages were released but when negotiations appeared to be breaking down, a specially trained team of police marksmen threw a stun grenade and stormed the building.Four of the hostages were released but when negotiations appeared to be breaking down, a specially trained team of police marksmen threw a stun grenade and stormed the building.
The gunman, said to be aged between 30 and 50, apparently turned his gun on himself after shooting one of the girls, who later died in hospital. Morrison apparently turned his gun on himself after shooting one of the girls, who later died in hospital.
"We tried talking to this individual and had some success," Sheriff Wegener told reporters. "He gave us a deadline of 1600 [to back off] and ceased talking to negotiators, at which time we decided a tactical solution needed to be done [to save the hostages]," Sheriff Wegener told reporters.
"He started to release hostages, but eventually he gave us a deadline of 1600 [to back off] and ceased talking to negotiators, at which time we decided a tactical solution needed to be done [to save the hostages]. "Entry was made, the suspect shot one of hostages and then shot himself."
"Entry was made, the suspect shot one of hostages and then shot himself. Asked if the girl victim had been killed by the gunman, Lance Clem, spokesman for the Colorado department of public safety, said: "Yes, he did shoot her."
"That's what it looks like although the investigation is still ongoing."
Asked if the girl victim had been killed by the gunman, Mr Clem said: "Yes, he did shoot her."
'Creepy' man'Creepy' man
Students at the school said they did not recognise the gunman who appeared to be dressed like a student.Students at the school said they did not recognise the gunman who appeared to be dressed like a student.
Jessica Montgomery, 15, told AP she saw the suspect in a second-floor hallway shortly before noon.Jessica Montgomery, 15, told AP she saw the suspect in a second-floor hallway shortly before noon.
She described him as "creepy", saying he had acne and stubble on his face.She described him as "creepy", saying he had acne and stubble on his face.
Cassidy Grigg, 16, recalled victim Emily Keyes as one of his first friends at the school at about the age of 12.Cassidy Grigg, 16, recalled victim Emily Keyes as one of his first friends at the school at about the age of 12.
"She was always sweet," he told NBC. "She was just friendly. She was just a good person in general.""She was always sweet," he told NBC. "She was just friendly. She was just a good person in general."