Update 12:00 noon on Friday, September 29, 2006
The 14-page letter written by shooter Duane Morrison was not technically a "suicide note" but contained multiple references to suicide, according to Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener. The letter was mailed from the Shawnee Post Office, just south of the high school, and postmarked September 27th.
The family member who received the letter is fully cooperating with law enforcement, according to CBI Agent Steve Johnson. "We are reluctant to release quotes or specifics from the letter. We are maintaining a spirit of cooperation with the [suspect's] family," Johnson said.
The letter is described as "rambling" but contains no references to the local high school or the students who were taken hostage. According to Sheriff Wegener, the letter contained an apology to Morrison's family for what he was about to do and references to his impending death. The letter did not reference harming other people, Wegener said. "It doesn't tell me why, but maybe tells me ... that he probably intended to kill himself or have us shoot him," Wegener added.
The sheriff also corrected a report about the gunman's clothing, saying that he was wearing a simple sweatshirt and not a PCHS Husky shirt as some had reported.
Update 8:00 am on Friday, September 29, 2006
According to information released Friday morning, investigators have found a suicide note written, allegedly, by Duane Morrison and sent to a family member. ATF agents discovered the family connection while tracing the weapons found with Morrison's body. Investigators from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and a Park County Sheriff's Detective then recovered the suicide note. Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener would not discuss the contents of the note at this time, saying that it was still being analyzed.
Sheriff Wegener stated that what he most wanted to know in this investigation is "Why?" He said they hope to find out more about the motive for the crime by further analysis of the note left by Morrison.
According to the Sheriff, video tapes from the high school and an assault weapon found at a nearby campground were still being analyzed. The video tapes show the gunman in the parking lot and entering the school.
In discussing the nature of the sexual assault on the hostages that was reported earlier, Wegener said, "I'll just say they were molested," and did not want to give out any further details.
Update 5:00 pm on Thursday, September 28, 2006
On Thursday afternoon, Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener reported that an assault rifle was discovered at a makeshift campground about a mile north of the school. Agents are processing that scene and interviewing the people who discovered it, but do not know if it is connected to this investigation.
According to Wegener, a male student at the school reported that the gunman had asked him about certain names of female students and where he could find those students. The interview and investigation into this contact is ongoing.
Sheriff Wegener thanked the people and agencies who were making thousands of calls to Park County offering assistance. He said that there was no way he could respond to all of the offers, but that he wanted everyone to know how much the offers of help were appreciated by the community.
The Sheriff also asks that everyone respect the family's privacy and not go to their home.
The tip line has been inundated with information they will use to further the investigation, according to the Sheriff.
Thursday morning:
The shooter from Wednesday's fatal hostage situation at Platte Canyon High School near Bailey, Colorado, was identified with a photo distributed Thursday morning. He is 53-year-old Duane Morrison. The photo is July 2006 booking shot from Jefferson County jail. The gunman's criminal history is described as "minor" by Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener. Morrison had been living out of his car, according to Wegener, but also had an address in Denver. The Jeep driven by the gunman was towed away and searched after a warrant was obtained. At this time, there are no known connections between the shooter and this area, the sheriff said, but the investigation is ongoing.
The motive for his violent entry into the small-town high school is still a mystery, according to the sheriff. "We confirmed that he did traumatize and assault our children.
We had to go try and save them," Wegener said. He later added that the assault was "sexual in nature." The sheriff said that the gunman had terrorized our community. "This has changed my school, changed my community; my small county is gone," he added.
The investigation of the backpack, which Morrison had claimed contained explosives, is ongoing. When the gunman's body was removed from the school, officials determined that he had been armed with one semi-automatic and one revolver. SWAT did fire on the suspect after he had fired on them when they entered the room. "They burst through the door, he shot right at them, turned and shot the hostage, then shot himself," Wegener said.
The sheriff thanked the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for their work all night on the investigation. Autopsies are scheduled for this morning. Full results will not be available for a few days. Another press conference is scheduled for this afternoon.
Platte Canyon Community Church has been designated as a gathering place for students, teachers, and families. Counselors will be on hand to talk with anyone who wants to meet with them. A tip line is set up for information about Morrison or the investigation. Call 303-816-5947 if you have any information that might aid in the investigation and determination of motive for the tragedy.
