Students at multiple Colorado schools stage walkouts to protest gun violence

Two days after a shooting at Evergreen High School left two students badly wounded, students at multiple Colorado schools staged walkouts protesting gun violence.

As Arvada West did on Thursday, Wheat Ridge High School students walked out in protest of gun violence and to show solidarity with Evergreen students on Friday morning. Students lined up around the campus holding signs with slogans including "No more silence, end gun violence," "Protect kids not guns," and "There's 1 thing a gun is built to do," as well as quoting scriptures.

On Wednesday, 16-year-old Desmond Holly opened fire on fellow students at Evergreen High School before fatally shooting himself. School lockdown procedures may have prevented an even worse tragedy. Video taken by a student shows her classmates hiding in classrooms as Holly banged on doors, pretending to be a police officer in an effort to reach others. Many other students ran into the nearby neighborhood for help.

One of the injured student's conditions was downgraded from critical to serious on Friday; the other remains in critical condition.

According to Everytown Research & Policy, there have been at least 100 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in the United States this year, resulting in 32 deaths and 98 injuries.

"After Evergreen, there was this huge push. And all of the Jeffco community, our hearts hurt for them," said Wheat Ridge senior Jackson Bowen.

Jackson said students spoke with school administrators following the shooting and began handing out flyers to bring awareness to the planned walkout.

"The message is we need change, we're sick of this! No one should be happy with the status quo right now," he said. "And regardless of what you think the solution is, we need one. We need one now. And we need to open that dialogue with our legislators, with our communities, because we need change, because we're sick of people dying in our schools, and our churches and our malls. Everyone should feel safe where they are. And we're out here because we need people to talk about it."

The group chanted "enough is enough" and gathered on the corner of Kipling Street and W. 32nd Avenue, cheering when passing drivers honked their horns in support.

Similar walkouts took place at Lakewood High School, Jefferson High School and Stanley Lake High School on Friday.