The plan for the May 7, 2019, shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch was for one of the shooters to be killed in the end and the other to be “a hero.” That’s according to Alec McKinney, who pleaded guilty last year to dozens of charges, including first-degree murder, for his role in the attack. […]
Elliott Wenzler
Elliott Wenzler wrote about politics, water, housing, and other topics for The Colorado Sun from October 2022 through September 2023. She has covered community issues in Colorado since 2019, including for Colorado Community Media. She has been featured in various outlets for her reporting, including on Colorado Public Radio's show Colorado Matters and the podcast City Cast. Previously, she wrote about local issues for the Palm Beach Post in Florida and Main Street Media in Tennessee.
Topic expertise: Politics, housing, guns, water, abortion
Location: Denver
Education: University of Arkansas
Honors & Awards: CPA awards - first place in 2023 for environmental reporting for a story on malfunctioning sewage system in Castle Pines; Awarded second for Best Health Feature in 2021 by the Colorado Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; Awarded second for a package of stories on the local school district in 2023 by the Colorado Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
Contact:
X (Formerly Twitter): @ElliottWenzler
Posted inCrime and Courts, Education, News
Teen victim pleaded with STEM School Highlands Ranch shooter to stop his attack, testimony reveals
Lucas Albertoni was crawling through classroom 107 in STEM School Highlands Ranch when he was confronted by Alec McKinney’s gun. Albertoni looked up as he was attempting to flee and saw the barrel of the firearm, only an arm’s length away, pointed straight at him. He locked eyes with the student holding it. “I pleaded […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Education, News
Jury hears from survivors of STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting
Mitchell Kraus didn’t know he’d been shot until he’d already run a couple of blocks from STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7, 2019. When the student realized something was wrong, he took stock of his body, moving his hand to his back. It came back red with blood. The next thing he remembers wanting […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
As STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting trial opens, two views of what happened in Room 107
The trial of one of two former STEM School Highlands Ranch students accused of attacking the school in 2019, killing one classmate and injuring six others, opened Thursday with the sound of a teacher’s frantic breathing. “There’s a shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch!” the teacher, Erin Christian, cried in a call to 911 on […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Education, News
Trial begins for older STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting suspect
The trial is underway for the older of the two students charged with carrying out the deadly STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting two years ago. Devon Erickson, now 20, is accused of helping Alec McKinney, now 18, carry out the attack that left Kendrick Castillo dead and eight others injured. McKinney pleaded guilty and was […]