Kendrick Castillo's family wants public release of STEM School shooting documents

The parents of Kendrick Castillo were back in court Wednesday arguing for the release of confidential information about the STEM School Highlands Ranch Shooting. It's all part of an ongoing civil suit against the school, which the couple filed in 2021.  

Castillo, 18, died when he rushed one of the gunmen who attacked that school in 2019. Two classmates have since been sentenced to life in prison.  

Four years after their son's death, John and Maria Castillo returned to the courtroom Wednesday. At issue is not what happened on that painful day, but instead what about it they can share. 

"We're fighting to share the truth about what led up to the school shooting and create transparency to all schools," Castillo said in an interview outside the courthouse.  

For two years now, the couple has been collecting evidence and information as part of a civil suit against the school and the Douglas County School District (DCSD). The district has since been released from the suit.  

In February, the Castillos turned down a nearly $400,000 settlement from the school, so the details they've learned can come out publicly in the trial. 

In a hearing before retired judge Christopher Cross, appointed as a Special Master for this issue, attorneys for the district and STEM said some of that information should stay confidential, such as school safety protocols.  

"Some information should not be made public because it could be used to provide a roadmap for others who wish to commit violent acts," said David Jones, who represented STEM School Highlands Ranch.  

The ability to sue a school for liability comes from the Claire Davis School Safety Act, which was passed after the 17-year-old girl was killed during a shooting at Arapahoe High School in 2013.  

In court, her father was among three witnesses for attorney Dan Caplis as he argued the Castillo's case. 

"It can't be a school safety act if you can't use that information to learn the lessons," Caplis said.  

John Castillo said he believed lessons can still be learned from what he's found. Now it's up to a judge to decide. 

"Maria and I believe that the only way we're going to get to an avenue where we can minimize these is by exposing truths," Castillo said.  

After a public hearing in the morning, all the parties returned to the courtroom to have a private hearing about some of the confidential matters in the case. A judge will make a decision at a later date.