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December 19, 2013
Free Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 11, Issue 39 A publication of
castlerocknewspress.net
Girl critically injured in school shooting Student entered Arapahoe High School with shotgun By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com One minute and 20 seconds. That’s how long Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said Karl Pierson’s rampage lasted. Pierson, 18, entered Arapahoe High School brandishing a shotgun Dec. 13, critically wounding Claire Esther Davis, before killing himself, the sheriff said. After viewing security-camera footage of the scene, Robinson offered some new and some revised information Dec. 14, including the name of the single gunshot victim. Davis is a 17-year-old senior at Arapahoe High in Centennial, a horse enthusiast and, says Robinson, a completely innocent victim who had no time to run from her at-
tacker before he shot her point blank in the head. A statement released by Davis’ family says she has severe head trauma and is still in critical condition. They requested privacy for themselves and Littleton Adventist Hospital, and thanked the trauma team there for saving their daughter’s life. “She needs your continued prayers,” read the statement. “We would like to thank our family, our friends, the community and the equine community for their outpouring of love and support.” Davis was the lone gunshot victim, the sheriff confirmed Dec. 14. A student near her at the time of the shooting was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure. Robinson said the security footage shows Pierson, an Arapahoe student, parking on the north side of the building at 12:33 p.m. Shooting continues on Page 6
Emotions ran high outside of Shepherd of the Hills Church in Centennial following the evacuation of Arapahoe High School Dec. 13. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
‘Heroes AnD Helpers’
$224 million budget gains council’s OK Budget funds park, road work, more By Virginia Grantier
vgrantier@ourcoloradonews.com
Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony McClarnon, right, steadies 2-year-old Rylan Lackey at the County Line Road Target in Highlands Ranch during Dec. 14’s ‘Heroes and Helpers’ holiday shopping day. In the background, Castle Rock’s Katrina Harnish and daughter Kaylee shop with DCSO Deputy Chad Teller. Photo by Jane Reuter
Castle Rock Town Council recently approved a 2014 budget that has $224.4 million in expenditures and $166.53 in revenues. Offsetting the difference will be the planned use of accumulated cash reserves — to be used mostly for the construction of the town’s largest-ever road project, North Meadows Extension, which will provide additional access from The Meadows to Interstate 25, as well as park, water and other infrastructure projects, according to a news release. The budget includes no tax increases and keeps the town’s property tax mil levy at 1.703, which means that the owner of a $300,000 house will pay only about $40 for town services. Only about $1 million of 2014’s revenues will come from property taxes. The town, which down-sized staff by 14 percent during the recession, is now adding back some positions in this budget, and the budget provides up to a 3 percent performance-based pay increases and 1 percent increase to address compensation-equity issues. But there could be employees who receive nothing, Kristin Zagurski, the town’s management analyst, told Colorado Community Media. “Any actual salary increase an employee receives is based upon his/ her performance, as well as his or her current pay, relative to the market range (as determined by the town’s annual Budget continues on Page 13