Updated Tuesday 2/14/2023 at 6:42 a.m.
Denver Police are investigating two separate shootings reported Monday afternoon.
The first occurred at 2:33 p.m. near 17th Avenue and Esplanade, near East High School and City Park. According to Officer Joe Montoya, two suspects in a stolen white Kia Sportage fired multiple shots into another car.
When police arrived they found a 16-year-old victim in that car who was transported to a nearby hospital. The victim is a student at East High School - though it is unclear if the victim attended class Monday.
Montoya described the victim's status as a "poor prognosis."
A weapon was recovered at the scene.
"Juvenile crime right now is very high. It's disturbing for everybody," Montoya said. "We really need the community and everybody to come together on this. We really need to find a way to disengage young people from these violent tendencies."
School officials locked down the building when they received information that the suspects had fled the scene. Police also closed the eastbound 17th Avenue lanes.
Police apprehended the two suspects about 2 hours later Monday afternoon after a brief pursuit in northeast Denver. Both were taken into custody. Montoya did not confirm the ages of the suspects or if they were students at East High School. No motive was given.
Montoya said a lot of work need to be done to curb juvenile violence.
"We don't want to solve it by putting cuffs on people all the time," Montoya said. "We'd prefer to start working on these issues at the root."
East High canceled classes and extracurricular activities were canceled Tuesday following the shooting, according to Chalkbeat.
Police do not believe the shooting near East High is related to a second shooting near Emily Griffith High School
The second shooting was reported near E. 18th Avenue and Lincoln Street and occurred about 20 minutes later about three blocks north of the State Capitol. Montoya said a verbal altercation occurred between two groups on foot and gunfire was exchanged. He said multiple weapons were involved.
Two victims, an adult and 17-year-old, were transported to the hospital. It is unclear if the juvenile was a student at Emily Griffith. No health status was given for either.
A suspected shooter was not identified at time of publication.
