Duane R. Morrison

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Duane Roger[1] Morrison (c. 1952 — September 27, 2006) was the lone gunman of Denver, Colorado who stormed into Platte Canyon High School and took six female students hostage, killing one of them, identified as 16-year-old Emily Keyes. Morrison later shot and killed himself. Paramedics at the scene pronounced him dead. Morrison had previous minor legal problems, including a July, 2006 arrest for obstructing police and a 1973 arrest for larceny and marijuana possession.[2]

[edit] Platte Canyon High School shooting

Main article: Platte Canyon High School shooting

On September 27, 2006, 11:40 AM MDT, Morrison entered the school carrying a backpack, in which he had stated there were explosives. A police report was filed later saying that he fired his handgun when the teacher did not do what he asked. He appeared to have no apparent motive in the classroom, but told the male students to exit the classroom, leaving him with six female students hostage. It has been reported that he sexually assaulted the hostages while in the classroom.[3]

While other students were evacuated from the school, Morrison allegedly negotiated with law enforcement about the goal of having all six hostages released. Only four of the six were released. Negotiators had raised the intensity of the conversations with Morrison. When Morrison broke off negotiations for the last time, the decision was made to enter the room.

Police broke open the door with explosives. Morrison then began firing at police and shot one of the hostages, 16-year-old Emily Keyes, before taking his own life. The police entered after Morrison committed suicide, and the injured girl was taken to a nearby hospital in Denver, where she was pronounced dead. The other girl Morrison had captured survived. The investigators did not find any sign of explosives.

At 3:40 PM MDT, it was said that a gurney was removed. In one of them was Keyes; the other did not have a body. Park County coroner Sharon Morris was then quoted as saying the body of Morrison was still in the classroom as of 6 PM.[3] District officials closed Platte Canyon High School and Fitzsimmons Middle School immediately after Morrison's crimes, but they have since reopened.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Anslee Willett and Dennis Huspeni. Gunman assaulted girls before killing himself. The Gazette. Retrieved on September 28, 2006.
  2. ^ Catherine Tsai. Colo. school attack 'sexual in nature'. AP. Retrieved on September 28, 2006.
  3. ^ a b Rocky Mountain News. High school hostages were sexually assaulted. Retrieved on September 28, 2006.