Claire Davis Shot, in Coma; Gov. Asks for Prayers
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper visited the 17-year-old girl shot by a classmate at Arapahoe High School on Friday. He praised the first responders and asked for prayers for Claire Davis, who is still hospitalized in critical condition.
"We all have to keep Claire in our thoughts and prayers," Hickenlooper told CBS' "Face the Nation." Her parents, he added, "are remarkable people. I feel so directly their suffering ... They raised this beautiful young woman who had her whole life ahead of her."
Claire was sitting in the Arapahoe library when she was shot in the head by Karl Pierson, who reportedly had a grudge against a teacher who had released him from the debate team. Pierson had allegedly made threats against the teacher before and wanted to cause serious damage when he came to the school with his gun. Pierson was able to shoot Claire in the head at point-blank range before killing himself.
"The first responders got Claire to the right place, at the right time, and the doctors and hospital staff are doing a wonderful job taking care of her," the Davis family said in a statement released on the Littleton Adventist Hospital's Facebook page. "We appreciate your continued good thoughts and prayers, and will provide updates as her condition improves. Thank you for your continuing thoughts and prayers for Claire."
They noted that she is in "critical condition" and stable, but remains in a coma.
The Arapahoe community has rallied around Claire and the Davis family. A vigil was held in her honor, and numerous people turned out; a social campaign with the tag #prayforclaire trended on Twitter, bringing more attention to the situation.
"Thank God for waking us up again and for keeping Claire through the night. Don't forget to pray as we wake up this morning," Jonathon Bailey tweeted.
"She is an innocent young lady, and she was an innocent victim of an evil act of violence," Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson told ABC News. "She probably was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."
