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    About 11:30 am. on September 27th, 2006 in a small High School located in Bailey, Colorado. Platte Canyon High School students and staff didn't notice him walk into the school at the class changing bell. He was dressed like a kid with oversized pants and a hooded sweatshirt. He blended in. He carried a backpack. Inside his backpack there were no books. He carried guns this day into our school. What he had in mind for our community this day would shake us to the ground. What he did this day destroyed a life, torn a family, and turned a small community into a frantic, fearful place. Those affected not knowing who's house or houses the Grim Reaper would call. He stopped by the front desk to announce his presence. He did this after all the kids were in their classrooms. He then proceeded to an English class that was just getting underway. He walked in, fired a couple of shots with a handgun. Taking control of the room, he dismissed all the boys and the teacher, who tried to regain control, but in the face of death she could not. 911 calls rang out. Several hundred, as all the kids had cell phones and could hear the shots being fired. Law enforcement responded as one would expect. Departments from as far as 75 miles away were on scene. A Flight for Life helicopter was called in, and placed on standby. He held 8 girls hostage for the next 5 hours. He claimed to have a bomb, and said he would blow up himself, and the hostages at 5 PM. What he did with those girls over that period is unmentionable. There are rumors of what took place.

    We are community of middle class working families. Bailey is located 50 miles southwest of Denver on U.S. highway 285. The high school is about 5 miles west of town on the highway. The highway was closed at the edge of town and all affected were notified and dismissed from their workplaces to get here, to try and get their kids home safely. To know their kids were safe. I had my dump truck out that day delivering loads for the local gravel pit. I had to park it because there were so many emergency vehicles responding, I literally had to pull over 2-3 times every mile while on hwy. 285. To say that the elementary school was a madhouse would be understated. This is where the kids that were evacuated were taken to be reunited with their parents. All but the 8 girl hostages.

    4:40 P.M. Our local sheriff, Fred Wagener made the critical decision to advance under the threat of a bomb deadline. Swat along with sheriff Wagener suited up. By now negotiations enabled 6 of the girls to be released. Physically unharmed. 2 girls remained.

    When Swat and Wagener broke the door down, shots rang out. Reports later revealed the one girl (unnamed) dropped to the floor. Emily ran! She ran to the door where her rescue's were entering. The bastard shot her point blank in the back of her head. According to official reports; he then turned his gun on his ownself. Swat officers shot him a few more times. No one really knows how it went down, except those in the room. I watched on T.V.(live) when they wheeled out Emily, put her on the chopper and wisked her off to a Denver hospital. I heard the chopper approaching, walked out on my back deck and literally watched it fly over my house. That is when it got personal for me. After a short time it was announced, 16 year old Emily Keyes was dead. An innocent victim to some 53 year old mans demented ambitions. There was some speculation that the guy knew her from the restaurant where she worked. No one knows for sure what was said between these two, what lead to her death. Like most of the kids in the school that day Emily had her cell phone with her. There was a moment when she had the time to text message her mom, she simply texted "I LUV U GUYS". It was the last communication she had with her family. What we do know is; no matter where you live or what you do, in todays world this crap can happen to you or yours. Believe me, I grew up in a very large east coast city. Where I live here in Bailey is so, so far away from that place... it's unimaginable. It can happen where you live.

    Her memorial service was incredible. It was outdoors at a local facility. When I say several thousand people came...trust me. It lasted 10 or more hours. I did not know Emily Keyes, nor did most of my community that came that day... it was a healing. One week later another 4000 motorcycle riders rode from Denver to the high school to show their support for the community and the family. Today as I write this in April, there are still signs nailed to trees along dirt roads that read " Emily we miss and love you, rest in peace." Signs made from plywood, and spray painted, made with love. no one cares to take them down. no one would.

    To Emily I would say; I am so sorry, we failed to protect you. In a place you should have no fear. Thank you for your life. A community rose up in your honor and became stronger. Your beautiful spirit did that day triumph over the evil that took you from us. May you truly, rest in peace.

    I will not tell of this evil man's name. To do so would give him some sort of honor. This page is for Emily. God speed.