June 4, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ParkerChronicle.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 27
Narratives differ as STEM trial opens Devon Erickson is accused of killing classmate in 2019 school shooting BY JOHN INGOLD, THE COLORADO SUN AND ELLIOTT WENZLER, COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Ainsley Groetken, one of the valedictorians of the Lutheran High School class of 2021, accepts her diploma May 26. PHOTOS BY ELLIOTT WENZLER
Lutheran High School celebrates graduation BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
L
utheran High School’s class of 2021 walked across the stage at Southeast Christian Church to receive their diplomas May 26. Valedictorians Ainsley Groetken, Sydney Samuels, Katie Sundrup, Noah Kelly, Emerson Knapp and Nora Fingerlin spoke during the commencement, reading Bible verses and talking to the class about their next stage in life. The strong faith of the students and school was prevalent throughout the event. Former teacher Jordan SEE GRADUATION, P9
Family members and loved ones of Lutheran High School graduates cheer during the commencement ceremony May 26 at Southeast Christian Church.
OUT AND ABOUT
Activities are on the upswing all around P14
The trial of one of two former STEM School Highlands Ranch students accused of attacking the school in 2019, killing one classmate and injuring six others, opened May 27 with the sound of a teacher’s frantic breathing. “There’s a shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch!” the teacher, Erin Christian, cried in a call to 911 on the day of the attack, May 7, 2019, as she huddled next door to the classroom where the shots were fired. Her voice echoed across a Douglas County courtroom on the first day of the trial, as prosecutor George Brauchler played the audio recording for jurors during his opening statement. “Erin,” the 911 operator calmly told the teacher, “I want you to do exactly what you’ve been trained to do.” Questions about what led to that moment and who is to blame for the shooting in Room 107 will be debated over the next month in District Court Judge Theresa Slade’s courtroom. But already on opening day, as prosecutors and defense attorneys SEE TRIAL, P6
PREP SPORTS MOVING ALONG A look at baseball, volleyball and lacrosse P24