Facing a crucial playoff game Tuesday night, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s thoughts turned to the shooting at nearby Highland Ranch as he offered emotional thoughts about the community in which he lives with his family.
“I wanted to start out with a quick word,” Malone, 47, said during the pregame press conference. “I think we are all aware of what happened down in Highlands Ranch today at the STEM School. That is a community that I live in.
“I know that thoughts and prayers are never enough, but one student was killed, (seven) were injured today. From myself, our team, our organization, our thoughts and prayers are with all of those families, those students, school administrators, everybody that was there today. It is a tragedy.”
Malone, whose Nuggets squad is ahead 3-2 after beating the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 on Tuesday night, then offered his thanks to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department and the other first responders.
“I just wanted to make sure I acknowledged what happened today, in my back yard, and that all of those families are on my mind,” he said.
“It is not just Highlands Ranch. It is not just Colorado,” Malone said angrily. “This is an epidemic and it continues to happen. That is the frustrating thing. How do you stop it? Gun control, laws, whatever it might be. I am not a politician and I do not want to sit up here and soapbox. I just want everybody back in Highlands Ranch to know that we are with you.”
The coach noted that both his daughters, who attend another school just down the street from STEM, were placed in lockdown during the attack.
Malone, whose team is trying to reach the conference final for the first time in a decade, said all thoughts of basketball disappeared from his mind when his wife called him about the unfolding shooting.
“I only found out about it when I was in my office and I got a call from my wife and she was the one that told me about it,” Malone explained. “The thing that makes you angry is that she is telling me how scared my daughters are in their schools texting her. They do not know what is going on. It is a lockout. ‘Where is this shooter? Is it at our school or some other school?’”
He added: “My girls have been in lockout twice in the past month. I am not a politician and I do not have the answers, but something must change.”
“When kids go to school, they should be going to school to learn, have fun, and be with their friends. Not worrying about an active shooter. We are all part of this, right? We all have families, kids, nieces, nephews, whatever it is. It is just frustrating and it gets you angry because it hits home. That is how I felt today,” Malone continued.
“I’m texting my daughter telling her she’s going to be OK. I don’t even know if she will be OK,” he said. “This is every parent’s worst nightmare. And it’s something that when you see your kids go to school in the morning, it’s ‘Have a great day.’ You just assume everything is going to be all right. And as we all know, it’s not.”
The Denver franchise later posted a message of condolence on its official Twitter account and a moment of silence was held before the national anthem was performed in advance of Game 5, which the Nuggets won 124-98, giving them a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
“We ask all of you to join us in keeping those impacted by today’s tragic shooting at STEM School in Highlands Ranch in our thoughts. We extend our condolences to the victims, their families, the entire community and everyone affected by violence,” the team said.