East High School students to demand boost in safety and security after student critically injured in shooting

Concerns over safety and youth violence were brought before the Denver City Council tonight, by high school students themselves.

That's after the recent shooting of East High School student Luis Garcia last week. He was critically injured.

Classmates voiced their concerns Tuesday night.

The students we met say that East High School doesn't go a month without some type of lockdown or threat to their safety.

At this point, their fears at school are impeading their abiliity to learn and they say they need a plan now, before another incident occurs.

Clayton Thomas and Ezekiel Lublin both play soccer with Garcia, a 16-year-old they say had so much life in front of him.

They're not sure if they'll ever see him play again. For that, they blame the shooter, but also believe the school district hasn't done enough to protect them. 

The pair addressed Denver City Council during Tuesday's public comment session. They believe the district needs to fund a tangible plan immediately.

The district removed school resource officers in 2020 and the students say they'd like to see some version of this back in the hallways, along with things security cameras and violence prevention programs.

"Our goal here is to really just explain that we're so scared and we don't feel safe at school and we don't feel supported and this isn't on us," said Teo Tullar, a junior at East High.

"We're the ones here is to really just explain that were so scared and we don't feel safe at school and we don't feel supported and this isn't on us," Tullar conitnued. "We are the ones who are supposed to be learning and we just need them to do things."

Students are also hosting a fundraiser volleyball game Thursday in the Panek Gym.

Tickets cost $2 and students will be collecting cash to donate directly to Garcia and his family.

They've also started a GoFundMe. For more information, click here