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DENVER – A Colorado teenager who died tackling a school shooter to save his classmates is now being considered for sainthood — a move parishioners say reflects his extraordinary courage and faith.
Kendrick Castillo, 18, was killed on May 7, 2019, when he charged one of the gunmen who opened fire at STEM School Highlands Ranch, just days before graduation. His selfless act allowed classmates to subdue the attackers and prevented what could have been a much larger tragedy.
“You cannot overstate the heroism of Kendrick Castillo,” George Brauchler, who prosecuted the case, told Fox News Digital. “And on that particular day, if you said in classroom 107, who’s going to be your hero that averts a mass murder? I don’t know if he’s in the top half. I just think that people would have written him off as not that guy, but he turns out to be that guy.”
The shooting erupted inside a British literature class that had gathered to watch “The Princess Bride” as an end-of-year reward. Two assailants, Devon Erickson, then 18, and accomplice Alec McKinney, then 16, carried out the attack.
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During the shooting, Castillo and fellow students Joshua Jones and Brendan Bialy rushed Erickson. After firing four shots, Erickson’s weapon jammed.
Castillo was fatally shot in the struggle, but his actions gave classmates the chance to disarm the attackers. He was the only student killed, while eight others were injured.
Brauchler, who also prosecuted the Columbine High School and Aurora theater shooting, described Castillo as “a miracle baby” and the only child to his parents, John and Maria Castillo.
“They renamed the street near the school Kendrick Castillo Way,” Brauchler said. “And now he’s cleared the first hurdle toward canonization in the Catholic Church he loved so much. It’s really an incredible story.”
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Erickson was later convicted on 46 counts, including first-degree murder, and faces life in prison without parole. McKinney, who testified against him, pleaded guilty and could be eligible for parole after about 20 years, according to the Associated Press.
After the verdict, Kendrick’s father, John Castillo, said he felt his son’s presence guiding the jury. “I’m sure he was looking down today,” he told the outlet. “This day was justice for him.”
Former student Mitchell Kraus, who was wounded in the attack, recalled walking Erickson to the nurse’s office just minutes before the shooting began. “He never gave any indication something was about to happen,” Kraus said. Now in college, Kraus said he feels closure knowing Erickson will never walk free again.
“Now that I can be sure that this monster, to be honest, is never going to see the light of day again, it’s just a weight off my back,” he said.
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The Diocese of Colorado Springs, which oversees the area where the tragedy occurred, has formally received a petition to open Kendrick’s cause for canonization, the National Catholic Register reported.
Although Kendrick had deep ties to the Archdiocese of Denver, Church law designates the diocese where a person died to initiate the canonization cause. Since his death occurred in Highlands Ranch, the responsibility falls to the Colorado Springs Diocese.
Father Patrick DiLoreto of St. Mark Parish in Highlands Ranch said Castillo’s sacrifice may qualify under Pope Francis’ “Offering of Life” category — recognizing those who give their lives for love of God and neighbor, even outside of traditional martyrdom definitions.
“He [Castillo] courageously threw himself at one of the school shooters without hesitation, allowing other students to follow and subdue the gunman,” DiLoreto explained. “This saved the lives of his fellow classmates when, in any other circumstance, there would surely have been more deaths on that day.”
Castillo’s devotion was well known in his parish. He carried a rosary daily, one of which was found on him after his death and later gifted to a classmate, the Register reported. He volunteered regularly, attended funerals of strangers to pray for them, and openly spoke of wanting to be a witness of faith.
Bishop James Golka of Colorado Springs praised those who gathered testimony about Kendrick’s life. “It seems clear that Kendrick was an exceptional young man,” he said.
As America continues to face tragic acts of school violence, parishioners and leaders alike see Castillo’s example as a source of strength.
“As the country faces more and more persecution of Christians, especially in these horrific school shootings, such as the one last week in Minnesota, we can look at the heroic examples such as Kendrick and the children who protected others for inspiration,” Father DiLoreto finished.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price covers crime including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Story tips: [email protected].
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