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By Robert Alexander
Senior Crime & Court Reporter
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Sam Fisher, a freshman at Evergreen High School, has described in vivid detail the moment he came face-to-face with the shooter during Wednesday's attack. Fisher said he and his classmates were in the band room when they first heard gunfire, sending them scrambling for cover.
As the lockdown began, the group rushed into their teacher's office, a small space where about 20 students huddled together in fear.
The Context
The shooting at Evergreen High School, September 10, 2025, is just the latest in a series of violent incidents that have shaped the Colorado school system:
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- Columbine High School massacre (1999) — 14 killed (13 students and one teacher), plus the two perpetrators who died by suicide; 23 injured.
- STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting (2019) — 1 student killed (Kendrick Castillo), plus eight injured.
- East High School shooting, Denver (2023) — 2 school administrators were injured; the suspect later died by suicide.
- Evergreen High School shooting (2025) — 2 students injured; suspect died from a self-inflicted wound.
There have been 14 school shootings in Colorado since Columbine, which transformed school safety policy nationwide.
While Evergreen, a town of 9,300, has long been regarded as a safe community, the attack underscores that no school is immune to the threat of gun violence. For students like freshman Sam Fisher—who said he saw the gunman "right in front of me"—the shooting illustrates how quickly a sense of safety can be shattered.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, the episode raises ongoing questions about security on school campuses, access to firearms, and the long-term psychological toll on students, parents, and educators.
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What To Know
Fisher recalled seeing the gunman at the door of the band teacher's office with a weapon pointed toward the students. "I saw him right in front of me and everything, and he was on the other side of the room in the door, and I saw the gun, and everything pointed at me and everybody else," he told Denver's FOX31. "I think he broke the window and tried to get through, but I don't think he did. I think they went past our room—they just kind of gave up."
He also described the chaos of the first moments of the attack. "We heard like the first gunshot, we were one of the first rooms that they went to," Fisher said. "Everybody kind of freaked out a bit, and then there was a second, and I sort of blanked out at that point, but I think I felt some kind of debris hit my forehead."
Fisher said some classmates later told him the shooter had been "smiling and waving" during the incident. "I don't see how one could feel OK for themselves after doing such a thing," he said.
The Shooting
The shooting began shortly after 12:30 p.m. at Evergreen High School, about 30 miles west of Denver in the foothills of Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the suspect shot two fellow students before turning the gun on himself. He died later at the hospital.
Neither responding officers nor deputies fired their weapons, spokesperson Jacki Kelley said, adding that more than 100 law enforcement personnel converged on the school within minutes.
The two injured teens were initially listed in critical condition. By Wednesday evening, doctors at St. Anthony Hospital reported that one was stable with non-life-threatening injuries. Details about the other student's condition have not been released.
Parents gathered at a nearby elementary school to reunite with their children. "She just said she was OK. She couldn't hardly speak," Wendy Nueman told The Denver Post about her 15-year-old daughter. "It's super scary. We feel like we live in a little bubble here. Obviously, no one is immune."
Neighbors also opened their homes to fleeing students. Don Cygan, a retired educator, told KUSA-TV that 18 teens sheltered in his house: "I hope they feel like they ran to the right house," he said.
What People Are Saying
Sam Fisher told Denver's FOX31 that during the lockdown, he used the time to reach out to loved ones: "I text my mom, friends, dad, everybody about it," he said. "I was like, I want to say I love them and everything, and just in case something bad really did happen."
Only days into his first year of high school, Fisher said he is now uncertain about returning: "I know this is a very safe area, and they haven't had anything like this in probably 30 years, but it's just—I'm worried to go back."
What Happens Next
In the coming days, investigators are expected to release more details about the Evergreen High School shooting, including the suspect's background and how he obtained the firearm, while the school remains closed as officials bring in counselors and review security protocols.
The community is likely to hold vigils and support gatherings for students and families, even as broader debates over school safety, gun access and mental health resurface—issues that will shape how Evergreen and Colorado respond to yet another school shooting.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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