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Handgun possibly discharged at Glenwood Springs teen fight

Lynn Burton

A handgun might have been discharged during a fight between a Glenwood Springs High School student and nonstudent at Transfer Trail April 3. Nobody was hit.”There’s a distinct possibility a handgun was fired,” said Ron Van Meter, public information officer for the Garfield County sheriff.Van Meter said a deputy was working on an arrest warrant for the gun wielder, who is not a student.Van Meter said there were only two combatants in the fight, but a total of 15 Glenwood Springs students and nonstudents looked on.A letter from Glenwood Springs High School Principal Mike Wells to parents said a group of students left school April 3 “to fight with a group of nonstudents,” and that a verbal altercation took place in the school parking lot the previous day.Wells said in his letter that to keep nonstudents off the school campus, the following rules will be instituted for the remainder of the school year:-No out-of-school guests will be allowed to shadow students;-Parking lot supervision will be increased, and all students must have their parking permit displayed on their vehicle;-School resource office Neil Wagstrom and faculty members will increase their parking lot presence during and after school;-The administration has asked the staff to be aware of any strangers they see in the building;-The school will enforce all policies, including dress codes, attendance and safety issues “with increased vigilance.”Wells was not available for comment. His letter said a school bus driver observed the verbal altercation on Tuesday and has provided the names of those involved.”We attempted to talk with these students on Wednesday morning, but when we sent for them they were not in class,” the letter continued.As lunch began on Wednesday, students told school officials there might be a fight at Transfer Trail. The administration then told resource officer Wagstrom, and he called the Garfield County sheriff’s department, the letter said.After the handgun was apparently discharged, the students left the area and drove to the Glenwood Springs police department to report the incident.”Based on the information that we have gathered we do not believe that this incident creates a safety risk for anyone at our school,” Wells’ letter said.Van Meter said the alleged gunman is 18 or 19 years old, and is a Garfield County resident. Van Meter did not know the caliber of the gun.One of the fight combatants was treated at Valley View Hospital and released.


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