One of the two young victims injured in a shooting at a Colorado high school on Wednesday has been publicly identified by authorities.
Matthew Silverstone, 18, was shot and wounded when 16-year-old Desmond Holly opened fire at Evergreen High School before turning the gun on himself and later dying at the hospital, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced in a Facebook post Thursday evening.
The teen’s family asked for privacy as he recovers.
“The family appreciates the community’s concern and support, but as we remain focused on our loved one’s recovery, we respectfully request privacy as we continue to heal and navigate the road ahead,” Silverstone’s family said in a statement shared by police.
Police also released an adorable picture of Silverstone smiling in a top hat and bow tie.
As of Thursday morning, both Silverstone and one other unidentified victim remained hospitalized. One victim is in critical condition, and the other has non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear what condition Silverstone is in, according to 9News.
It is unclear if the students were targeted or caught up in a random attack.
Holly rode the bus to the school — which is about 30 miles west of Denver — and took out a revolver hours later around lunchtime to rattle off “a lot” of gunshots, said Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley.
He fired from the outside of the school, with one student struck inside and the other victim hit outside, police said.
It is unclear where Silverstone was when the hail of bullets was fired.
The school shooter’s motive remains a mystery for now.
“He was radicalized by some extremist network,” Kelly said, though she didn’t provide more details.
“But we want to at least give you that much about, maybe, the mindset for him,” she added.
A driver’s license photo of the depraved youngster shows Holly flash a blank stare.
“The suspect brought quite a bit of ammunition with him, and he continued to reload,” she said. “I think we’re very, very grateful that there were not more injuries.”
She said Holly tried to enter areas that were locked down, but staffers and students did a good job of following training and “kept them safe for sure.”
Windows and lockers were damaged by gunshots.
Evergreen High School is part of Jefferson County Public Schools, which includes Columbine High School, the site of one of the deadliest and most notorious school shootings in 1999.
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