Report on Platte Canyon High shooting released

Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 27, 2007 at midnight

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The family of Platte Canyon High School student Emily Keyes said late Monday that law enforcement officers and the campus administration "did all of the right things" as they dealt with the hostage-taking that ended in Emily's death.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation prepared a report about the Sept. 27 incident and the response by Park County sheriff's deputies to the standoff with a gunman, who held seven hostages, including the 16-year- old Keyes, inside a classroom. Duane Morrison, 53, also sexually assaulted some of the hostages. He shot and killed himself after shooting Keyes.

The families of the seven hostages met with CBI agents and Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener on Monday to review the report, which included five volumes.

"For some it may be difficult to accept," according to a statement released by the Keyes family. "The right actions at the right time by the right people may not have the right outcome. When what we hoped for didn't happen, some may want to find fault. But there is no fault to be found in the command decisions made given the information and behavior presented.

"There is no fault to be found in the courage and speed of their response. From our family, there is only respect.

"Law enforcement and school administration did all of the right things," the Keyes family said.

CBI and Park County are expected to release the report today on the county's Web site.

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