LITTLETON, Colo. – The Arapahoe High School student who fatally shot another student before shooting himself on the campus last year had been deemed “not a high-level of threat” by school officials, despite shouting a death threat against his debate coach three months earlier.

Karl Pierson, 18, was targeting his debate coach when he entered the high school on Dec. 13 with a shotgun, a machete and homemade bombs. The student killed Claire Davis, 17, before killing himself in the school library. The debate coach, who was also the school librarian was not harmed.

On Sept. 3, Pierson was demoted from his status as captain of the speech and debate team, which led him to yell in a school parking lot that he would kill the coach, documents obtained by The Associated Press revealed.

School officials contacted Pierson’s parents and classified the incident as a threat against staff. The teen’s mother kept him out of school for three days and took him to an outside psychologist. On Sept. 9, school officials, including an assistant principal and a school psychologist, met with Pierson’s parents and determined that the student was not a high-level of threat and could go back to classes.

At the time, the student was apologetic for what he said, but was not remorseful and did not see a need to apologize to the coach.

Two days before the shooting, on Dec. 11, Pierson was caught pounding on a locked classroom door and yelling, disturbing other classes, after he was locked out of the class when he returned from the restroom. Pierson said he would apologize to the teacher, but was sent home for the day.

Authorities have said Pierson planned to harm many on the day of the shooting.

Officials for Littleton Public Schools have refused to comment on the documents.

If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Related Content