Castillo was killed three days before graduation. A bullet hit the high school senior as he tried to tackle the shooter. Eight other students were injured when two people opened fire. Police have identified the alleged shooters as Devon Erickson and Alec McKinney. They were expected to appear in court Friday to formally face charges in connection with the shooting. McKinney, who is under 18, is also set to learn whether he will be charged as an adult.<doc-sep>A protest broke out at a vigil Wednesday for victims and survivors of the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, with some students reportedly walking out because of what they called politicization of their grief. Students from STEM School, as well as politicians, activists and other community members, attended the vigil at nearby Highlands Ranch High School, outside Denver. The vigil was meant to support survivors and honor 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, the student who died in Tuesday’s shooting while apparently trying to diffuse the situation, the Denver Post reports. Eight other students were wounded. Two students, an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old, are in custody. But after multiple speakers — including Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Jason Crow, both Democrats — addressed the crowd, STEM students began to complain that they had not been allowed to speak, according to local media reports. “Let STEM kids speak!” one voice called from the audience, according to the Highlands Ranch Herald. Shortly thereafter, according to the Herald, students began to leave the vigil and move into the hallway to speak with event organizers. From there, things devolved. A woman, who the Herald says identified herself only as “a mother,” approached the microphone and said STEM students had been told by the media to leave — though it was not clear why she thought so — prompting more of the crowd to leave the gymnasium and some to engage in anti-media chants. Chants about the need for better mental health resources also rang out, as students protested the political nature of the event. “Don’t use Kendrick’s name for political reasons!” a student outside the vigil shouted, according to the Herald. Eventually, STEM students and other audience members returned to the vigil, and some approached the podium to speak. Some complained about the political overtones of the event, while others emphasized that the vigil was meant to honor Castillo, 9 News reports. “What has happened at STEM is awful, but it’s not a statistic,” one student said. “We can’t be used for a reason for gun control. We are people, not a statement.” One boy also noted that STEM students had not been asked to leave the vigil. “We wanted Kendrick to be mourned. We wanted all of you to join us in that mourning, but that was not allowed here,” he said. “We all walked out. We were not kicked out, despite what you have heard. We are back now to tell you that we love Kendrick, and we love all of the survivors.” After STEM students returned to the gym, the vigil continued until about 9 p.m., the Post reports. Several students also spoke with reporters after the event ended. “I think I speak for STEM when I say we do thank Highlands Ranch High School for hosting this,” STEM School senior Logan Griffith told the Herald. “However, this was for Kendrick Castillo. Not for our senator, not for anyone else.” Gun control group Brady, which organized the vigil, on Thursday issued an apology, saying it “is deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring and sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate,” according to the Associated Press. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com.<doc-sep>HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. – Gun rights advocates posted support on social media Thursday for students who walked out of a gun-control rally in anger and tears over concerns the event inappropriately politicized their grief. The event Wednesday was primarily billed as a vigil to honor Kendrick Castillo, who was fatally shot in a rampage by two students at the STEM school here. Speakers at the school's packed gymnasium, however, were mostly politicians and advocates pressing Congress for more restrictive gun laws. After about 30 minutes, hundreds of students from the STEM School stormed out yelling "this is not for us," "political stunt" and "we are people, not a statement." Candace Craig, who has three kids attending STEM, said it was just too early for to push for action. She said the trauma is still fresh for the thousands of parents and their kids who suffered through the shooting and the anxious hours that followed. "We need quiet. We need familiar faces. We need to hold our babies. We will heal and we will rise stronger and ready to say 'enough,'" she said Thursday. "But right now, we are shaken. We are broken. We hurt for the families whose worlds were turned upside down with grief and loss. That’s what we want the world to hear from us." Wednesday night, the traumatized shooting survivors who exited the rally thrust lighted cellphones into the air and chanted "mental health, mental health," as their hands and voices shook in the cold rain. Angry students pushed and screamed at journalists, demanding to see photos they had taken. Interview requests made by a USA TODAY reporter were rebuffed; multiple students said they had agreed not to talk to journalists. Many students appeared unaware the event was organized by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Jason Crow, both Democrats, both spoke at length about the need for federal action. The Brady Campaign invited reporters to cover the event. Colorado school shooting:Students and guard lauded for heroism Heroes:11 days. 3 mass shootings. 3 heroes. Risking lives for others The students drew plenty of support on social media. "These politicians remind me of ambulance chasers," posted a Utah woman. "Ready to pounce on the next big shooting with their gun control agenda." A Colorado woman posted: "Love this so much! I’m so proud of these students! After some rough political months here in Colorado this was a welcomed sight & hope for our future!" In an apology issued afterward, the Brady Campaign said all efforts should be focused on supporting the STEM students, families and faculty members. "We are deeply sorry any part of this vigil did not provide the support, caring and sense of community we sought to foster and facilitate and which we know is so crucial to communities who suffer the trauma of gun violence," the statement said. Some STEM students and family members held a private vigil earlier in the day. They said the public and journalists were kept out to permit anguished students and their parents a chance to grieve together away from the media spotlight into which they have unwillingly been thrust. Castillo, 18, was killed and eight students were wounded Tuesday when two teens opened fire in classrooms at the K-12 school specializing in science and math. Castillo, three days away from completing high school, and two classmates charged one of the shooters at his school. The avid hunter and fisherman was killed. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed "red flag" legislation last month providing judges with the power to temporarily remove firearms from people believed to be at high risk of harming themselves or others.<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email Students from STEM School Highlands Ranch on Wednesday walked out of a vigil marking a school shooting that killed one teen the previous day, blasting politicians and the media after a senator and congressman spoke about gun control to a group of about 2,000 people. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Jason Crow, both Democrats, talked about the need for gun control before the vigil started to break apart. WATCH: Students walk out of vigils honouring Colorado school shooting victims, says grief being politicized 0:46 Students walk out of vigils honouring Colorado school shooting victims, says grief being politicized Students walk out of vigils honouring Colorado school shooting victims, says grief being politicized – May 9, 2019 Hundreds of students walked out to the parking lot and started yelling expletives at the media. Story continues below advertisement They also started chanting “mental health,” the Denver Post reported. Students later returned to the gym and spoke at a microphone before the event concluded at 9 p.m. “They don’t get what we went through yesterday, they don’t get what it’s like to have to run for your life,” said one student captured in a video tweeted by Colorado Public Radio education reporter Jenny Brundin. Wild scene where STEM school kids walked out of Highlands Ranch, upset that the event was the politicians talking about gun control. So they took over themselves and I have their own vigil. #STEMShooting pic.twitter.com/WlIjwctnFo — Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019 “They don’t get what it’s like to have people yelling at you, saying ‘school shooter, run for your life.’ You do not get what it’s like to look a teacher straight in the eye and say, ‘run, run for your life. '” The vigil had been organized by students linked to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. READ MORE: 1 student dead in shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch; adult suspect identified by police Kendrick Castillo, the teen killed in the shooting, was described Wednesday as a friendly STEM student who charged the two attackers in an effort to help his classmates escape. Another teen of the same age tackled one of the attackers. WATCH: Student killed in Colorado school shooting hailed as hero for charging attacker 1:26 Student killed in Colorado school shooting hailed as hero for charging attacker Student killed in Colorado school shooting hailed as hero for charging attacker – May 8, 2019 An 18-year-old STEM student named Devon Erickson and a younger, juvenile student have been identified as suspects in the shooting. Story continues below advertisement They allegedly entered the school and discharged weapons in two classrooms. WATCH: Colorado Police confirm details in STEM School shooting 1:30 Colorado Police confirm details in STEM School shooting Colorado Police confirm details in STEM School shooting – May 8, 2019 Erickson appeared in court on Wednesday. Formal charges are expected to be filed by Friday. With files from The Associated Press<doc-sep>
Students and parents walked out of a planned vigil for the victims of a shooting at a Colorado high school after they say the memorial became political, 9 News reported. The event was described as an “interfaith memorial vigil” to honor victims of the Tuesday shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, which left one student dead and eight others injured. Students that belong to Team ENOUGH organized the vigil, held at nearby Highlands Ranch High School. The initiative is a youth program connected to the Brady Campaign, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention advocacy group. ADVERTISEMENT Students from STEM reportedly became frustrated when two Democratic politicians from Colorado, Rep. Jason CrowJason CrowOvernight Defense: Ex-Pentagon chief defends Capitol attack response as GOP downplays violence | Austin, Biden confer with Israeli counterparts amid conflict with Hamas | Lawmakers press Pentagon officials on visas for Afghan partners Congress demands answers on Afghanistan withdrawal Tensions rise as Democrats face Senate bottleneck on agenda MORE and Sen. Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetChris Cuomo advised brother Andrew Cuomo on handling sexual misconduct allegations Senators express bipartisan interest in reviving infrastructure financing tool Democrats renew push for permanent child credit expansion MORE, who is running for president, began to speak about gun control and policy. A large group of students and parents walked out of the vigil in protest. Many were reportedly angry that the students themselves were not able to speak to honor their slain classmate, 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo. Police said Castillo died trying to stop one of the armed suspects from firing, allowing his classmates time to escape. “This was not a vigil,” one student said, according to 9 News. “This was purely a political stunt. This is not what we wanted for Kendrick.” Another student reportedly said they didn’t want their fallen classmate to become a “prop.” “Mental health! Mental health!” the students began spontaneously chanting at one point. Powerful moment when STEM School kids spontaneously started shouting, “mental health! Mental health!“ Anguish at adults not recognizing their pain and the pain of their classmates. #stemschoolshooting pic.twitter.com/8U0lAfh64o — Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019 Wild scene where STEM school kids walked out of Highlands Ranch, upset that the event was the politicians talking about gun control. So they took over themselves and I have their own vigil. #STEMShooting pic.twitter.com/WlIjwctnFo — Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019 Students from the #STEMshooting in Colorado stormed out of a rally organized by gun-control advocates Wednesday night after growing angry about the politicization of their trauma. pic.twitter.com/uCLEqt89VY — Trevor Hughes (@TrevorHughes) May 9, 2019 What was so amazing about STEM school kids walking out, holding up lights in the drizzling rain to honor their friend who died, shouting for mental health services, sharing their grief into microphone is this: teens worlds are hyper-controlled by adults. Tonight, THEY spoke. pic.twitter.com/yMEpF4ODTI — Jenny Brundin (@CPRBrundin) May 9, 2019 The students from STEM eventually returned inside the gymnasium to continue with the vigil when they were given a chance to speak, the local outlet reported. “We are mourning the loss of our best friend, our brother, Kendrick Castillo,” one student said. “He’s somebody that cared for everybody, somebody who was always there, that could fix any problem. Whether that was with his hammer or with his words, he was there. He was somebody we all loved and somebody that was so kind that he was willing to sacrifice his own life for ours. And we are forever grateful.” The Brady Campaign issued an apology on Wednesday night, according to the outlet. “The event at Highlands Ranch High School was planned to be responsive to the broader community, who have been deeply impacted by this event, and show solidarity with the STEM School students, teachers, and parents. We are here to lift up the voices of victims and survivors,” the organization said in a statement. The Hill has reached out to Crow and Bennet for comment.