Former Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis offers help to community in the wake of Evergreen High School shooting

Tragedy struck Evergreen High School in Colorado when a student opened fire, critically injuring two students before turning the gun on himself. Now the community is addressing how to move forward. The former principal at Columbine High School, Frank DeAngelis, said this shooting hit close to home.

"I started getting texts of 'my thoughts and prayers, just thinking of you,'" said DeAngelis, who spent 35 years at Columbine High School and retired in 2014. "It's just a situation that unfortunately takes us back to where I was 26 years ago."

Columbine was one of the largest mass shootings carried out at a school, leaving 14 people dead. After being hailed as a hero in April 1999, he spent decades helping the community heal. His focus now is on the DeAngelis Center Foundation and guiding other schools and district leaders after a tragedy.

He said after Wednesday's shooting in Evergreen, he spoke with Jeffco Public Schools Superintendent Tracy Dorland.

"It was tough, but we all came together. What do you do with reunification? What do you do with families? What do you do today, for school and things like that, and just giving some of my best thinking, that you know what we went through," said DeAngelis.

He told her that you never think it will happen at your school, but there are plans in place.

DeAngelis also does safety consulting for Jeffco Public Schools.

"The district does a great job, and I know they do drills, and that's part of the protocol. There are certain plans in place in Jefferson County. It's a standard response protocol which deals not only with what do you do with the lockdown situation or a secure situation, but also reunification."

DeAngelis is also a founding member of the Principal Recovery Guide and Principal Recovery Network, where he shares information and guidance on how leaders can handle the aftermath of shootings and emergency situations.

"The message that I can give [is that] it is a long road, that you're not going to wake up and it's going to be back to normal," said DeAngelis. "Let's get through this first week, and then what is it going to be like? You know, it's four weeks from now, five weeks from now, with homecoming dances coming up, what is it going to be like?"

Their hope now is to support those impacted, and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is making that a high priority.

"We are going to do everything, everything that we can, to help these kids heal and help the teachers and parents get back to life. And a lot of that is just going to take time. But the resources are available, and we are encouraging everyone to use them," sheriff's spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said.

"I'm not sure if it's moving forward; it's just having the support in place," said DeAngelis. "We can't accept this as a way. These are our kids, and we want to keep them safe, and we need to do everything possible for our kids and community, and they're not in this journey alone."

"We're there to reach out and help that community, and it's not just a one-day thing. We're going to continue to help because it's a long, long road, as I stated on numerous occasions, it's a marathon and not a sprint," DeAngelis added.

In a statement from the district, they said: "We are devastated by the events that unfolded yesterday. Our hearts are with all of you, especially the students who were wounded, their families, and the Evergreen community. We hope for their full and swift recovery. We stand with Evergreen. We grieve with you. And we commit to being part of the path forward. Together, we must act boldly to end the tragic epidemic of gun violence in our country."