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US school gunman 'abused' girls US school gunman 'abused' girls
(40 minutes later)
The gunman in a Colorado high school siege which left one girl dead along with the attacker sexually abused some of his hostages, police say.The gunman in a Colorado high school siege which left one girl dead along with the attacker sexually abused some of his hostages, police say.
Naming the attacker as a man from the Denver area in his early 50s, Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener said he did not seem to have links to the school. Naming the attacker as Denver area man Duane R Morrison, 53, Sheriff Fred Wegener said he did not seem to have links to the school in Bailey.
"He did traumatise and assault our children - I'll only say that it's sexual in nature," the sheriff said."He did traumatise and assault our children - I'll only say that it's sexual in nature," the sheriff said.
The victim at the school in Bailey has been named as Emily Keyes, aged 16. The victim at Platte Canyon High School was named as Emily Keyes, 16.
You could tell that he wanted the females Cassidy Grigg student witness
Officers stormed the school after more than three hours, at which point the lone gunman reportedly shot one of his two hostages and then himself.Officers stormed the school after more than three hours, at which point the lone gunman reportedly shot one of his two hostages and then himself.
Sheriff Wegener, who has a son at Platte Canyon High School, named the dead gunman as Duane R Morrison.
The attacker, who appeared in a classroom just before noon (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, initially took six hostages, all of them girls, but gradually released four of them as he talked to police negotiators.The attacker, who appeared in a classroom just before noon (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, initially took six hostages, all of them girls, but gradually released four of them as he talked to police negotiators.
Other students and staff at Platte Canyon and a neighbouring middle school, which have nearly 800 pupils between them, were evacuated during the siege.Other students and staff at Platte Canyon and a neighbouring middle school, which have nearly 800 pupils between them, were evacuated during the siege.
The town of Bailey is only a short drive from Columbine High School, where seven years ago two students killed 13 people before taking their own lives.The town of Bailey is only a short drive from Columbine High School, where seven years ago two students killed 13 people before taking their own lives.
'He shot her''He shot her'
According to police, the siege started when a man took six girls hostage after firing several shots inside the school building. According to local newspaper The Flume, the dead gunman had been living in his car and had a minor criminal record.
He held the police at bay using the pupils as a human shield. Holed up in a second-floor classroom with his hostages, he had reportedly told the police he had a bomb in his backpack.
Holed up in a second-floor classroom, he told the police he had a bomb in his backpack. When negotiations appeared to be breaking down, a specially trained police Swat team threw a stun grenade and stormed the building.
Four of the hostages were released but when negotiations appeared to be breaking down, a specially trained team of police marksmen threw a stun grenade and stormed the building. Morrison apparently turned his gun on himself after firing at police and fatally wounding Emily Keyes.
Morrison apparently turned his gun on himself after shooting one of the girls, who later died in hospital. "We firmly believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that the suspect was responsible for the death of the child," said Joe Morales, executive director for the Colorado department of public safety.
"He gave us a deadline of 1600 [to back off] and ceased talking to negotiators, at which time we decided a tactical solution needed to be done [to save the hostages]," Sheriff Wegener told reporters.
"Entry was made, the suspect shot one of hostages and then shot himself."
Asked if the girl victim had been killed by the gunman, Lance Clem, spokesman for the Colorado department of public safety, said: "Yes, he did shoot her."
'Creepy' man'Creepy' man
Students at the school said they did not recognise the gunman who appeared to be dressed like a student.Students at the school said they did not recognise the gunman who appeared to be dressed like a student.
Jessica Montgomery, 15, told AP she saw the suspect in a second-floor hallway shortly before noon.Jessica Montgomery, 15, told AP she saw the suspect in a second-floor hallway shortly before noon.
She described him as "creepy", saying he had acne and stubble on his face.She described him as "creepy", saying he had acne and stubble on his face.
Cassidy Grigg, 16, recalled victim Emily Keyes as one of his first friends at the school at about the age of 12. Cassidy Grigg, 16, told US media that Morrison had walked into a classroom and fired a warning shot before ordering students to line up.
"You could tell that he wanted the females," he added.
"He tapped me on the shoulder and he told me to leave the room. I told him, 'I don't want to leave'."
"He told me that if I didn't go then he would pretty much kill me."
Cassidy recalled victim Emily Keyes as one of his first friends at the school at about the age of 12.
"She was always sweet," he told NBC. "She was just friendly. She was just a good person in general.""She was always sweet," he told NBC. "She was just friendly. She was just a good person in general."