A 17-year-old student shot and killed two Denver high school administrators Wednesday during a search at the school’s entrance. According to authorities, the search took place because of previous behavioral problems.

The 17-year-old suspect remains at large and is wanted. Denver school officials, criticized for lax security measures, said they will install armed officers at the city’s public high schools.

The shooting took place at a school prone to violence, which had even seen a homicide earlier this month. Parents who met on Wednesday at the campus with 2,500 students accused the authorities of not doing enough to protect their children.

“I got bored!” said Jessie Haase, who planned to take her daughter out of classes until the end of the school year.

Austin Lyle was wanted by the police for attempted murder. The gun that was fired has not been found, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

Police have issued an alert and offered a reward of up to $2,000 for information about the case.

The armed incident happened shortly before 10 a.m. at the office, when the student was searched as part of a “security plan.”

One of the injured administrators was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon, and the other remains in critical condition, Denver Health spokeswoman Heather Burke said. Both victims are men.

“He is clearly armed and dangerous, and he wants to use his weapon as he did this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned.

On March 3, hundreds of students walked out of classrooms and marched in support of stricter gun laws following the death of 16-year-old Luis Garcia, who was shot while waiting outside a school.

In June 2020, amid summer protests against racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd, Denver Public Schools decided to phase out the use of police officers in school buildings. The initiative was prompted by criticism that police disproportionately arrest black students.

After Wednesday’s shooting, two armed officers will be assigned to East High School and other high schools in the city will get an officer, said Alex Marrero, superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

In a letter to the city’s Department of Education on Wednesday, Marrero said his decision would violate district policy. But he added that “he can no longer stand aside.”

“I am ready to accept the consequences of my actions,” he wrote. “I’m the supervisor of this county and I’m charged with keeping our employees safe every day.”

Gun violence in schools is increasingly common in the US, with more than 1,300 gun attacks reported between 2000 and June 2022, according to researchers at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Center for International Defense and Security. As a result of terrorist attacks, 377 people died, 1025 were injured.

Lyle transferred to East High School after being expelled from a nearby high school for violating school policy, the spokesman said.