Colorado STEM School Shooting Vigil Turns Chaotic, Emotional

HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO — Chaos erupted Wednesday night at a vigil to honor victims and survivors of a school shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch that killed one teenager and wounded eight others. A group of students walked out into the parking lot, holding up cellphones, yelling expletives at the media and criticizing speakers at the vigil for politicizing Tuesday's attack at their school.

About 2,000 people packed the school gym at Highlands Ranch High School to remember 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, who was shot and killed trying to tackle one of the shooters, The Associated Press reported. Authorities have credited Castillo and two classmates with preventing more bloodshed.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, and Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat whose district includes Highlands Ranch, had spoken about the need for gun control at the event, which had been organized by youth groups March for Our Lives and Team Enough Colorado.

“You already have my thoughts and prayers. You deserve and should demand more,” Crow told the crowd.

But students started to chant "mental health" and then left the assembly, according to reports.

The students later returned to the assembly and took to the microphone, saying the shooting tragedy at their school shouldn't be used for political purposes.

"They don't get what we went through yesterday ... They don't get what it's like to have people yelling at you saying 'school shooter,'" a student said.