CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A preliminary hearing date was set for one of the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting suspects on Friday morning, exactly a month after the deadly school shooting rocked the community.
Devon Erickson, 18, was in court Friday for a 15-minute hearing where he learned his preliminary hearing date, which has been scheduled for September. He walked into the courtroom in a red jumpsuit and handcuffs. The purple streak in his hair was gone. At one point, he smiled at his attorney and appeared engaged.
The defense asked for the preliminary hearing to be set in October, while the prosecutors wanted it in August. The defense said they have a lot of evidence to go through — more than 1,400 hours of audio and video, including interviews and dash cam video, and 6,000 pages of information in this case. Prosecutors claimed it was excessive to push the hearing off for that long.
Ultimately, the judge set the hearing for Sept. 24-26.
The courtroom was full Friday morning. The parents of Kendrick Castillo, who was killed in the shooting, sat in the front row and were wearing blue “STEM Strong” shirts. Many other people in the room donned the same shirt and one person was even wearing a STEM strong necklace. There were no empty seats in the courtroom, and an overflow room was provided for more people to watch the proceedings.
George Brauchler, the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, said he didn’t believe any documents would be unsealed Friday, but said he is still pushing to get unsealed.
On the afternoon of May 7, two suspects — Erickson and a 16-year-old juvenile, who were both students at the school — opened fire at STEM School Highlands Ranch, killing one student and injuring about a dozen others. Castillo, 18, was killed after charging at one of the suspects.
Both of the suspects were taken into custody that day.
On May 15, they were formally charged with dozens of felonies, including first-degree murder and attempted murder.
Erickson was formally charged with:
- One count of first-degree murder after deliberation
- One count of first-degree murder – extreme indifference
- One count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation
- Six counts of attempted first-degree murder after deliberation
- 25 counts of attempted first-degree murder with extreme indifference
- One count of second-degree arson with damage totaling $100 or more
- One count of conspiracy to commit second-degree arson with damage totaling $100 or more
- One count of third-degree burglary
- One count of theft between $2500 and $5000
- One count of possession of a weapon on school grounds
- One count of criminal mischief between $1000 and $5000
- One count of conspiracy to commit criminal mischief between $1000 and $5000
- One count of conspiracy to commit theft between $2500 and $5000
- One count of conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary
- One count of providing a handgun to a juvenile
- One count of interference with a school – impeding staff (misdemeanor)
- Reckless endangerment (misdemeanor)
- Violent crime causing death or serious bodily injury (sentence enhancer)
- Violent crime – used weapon (sentence enhancer)
The juvenile, who will be charged as an adult in district court, is facing the following charges, which include 43 felonies, three misdemeanors and two sentence enhancers:
- One count of first-degree murder after deliberation
- One count of first-degree murder – extreme indifference
- One count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation
- Six counts of attempted first-degree murder after deliberation
- 25 counts of attempted first-degree murder with extreme indifference
- One count of second-degree arson with damage totaling $100 or more
- One count of conspiracy to commit second-degree arson with damage totaling $100 or more
- One count of third-degree burglary
- One count of theft between $2500 and $5000
- One count of possession of a weapon on school grounds
- One count of criminal mischief between $1000 and $5000
- One count of conspiracy to commit criminal mischief between $1000 and $5000
- One count of conspiracy to commit theft between $2500 and $5000
- One count of conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary
- One count of possession of a handgun by a juvenile (misdemeanor)
- One count of interference with a school – impeding staff (misdemeanor)
- Reckless endangerment (misdemeanor)
- Violent crime causing death or serious bodily injury (sentence enhancer)
- Violent crime – used weapon (sentence enhancer)
The teen’s status hearing is scheduled for June 14.
The only difference between the two suspects’ charges are related to a firearm. Erickson is charged with providing a handgun to a juvenile and the teenager is charged with possession of a handgun by a juvenile.
Reporting provided by KMGH
