June 15 (UPI) -- A Colorado jury on Tuesday convicted Devon Erickson of murder in the 2019 shooting at a Denver suburb high school, killing one student.
Erickson, 20, was found guilty of first-degree murder with extreme indifference, first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and 30 counts of criminal attempt of first-degree murder.
He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for the shooting death of classmate Kendrick Castillo, 18, in May 2019 at STEM School Highlands Ranch. Erickson, who was 18 at the time, carried out the shooting with fellow classmate Alec McKinney, who was 16.
McKinney pleaded guilty to murder and several other charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 38 years last year.
McKinney told investigators he and Erickson planned the shooting because they wanted fellow students to "experience bad things" and "have to suffer from trauma like he has had to in his life."
McKinney told police he was bullied in school because he's transgender. He said he targeted people who "made fun of him" and called him names.
Police said he told them he felt suicidal and homicidal since he was 12.
They said McKinney and Erickson both fired guns they got from a locked cabinet in the latter's home. In addition to killing Castillo, the shooting injured eight students, including two shot by a school security officer who believed they were the shooters.
