Transgender Colorado teen pleads guilty to murder in school shooting

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A Colorado teenager pleaded guilty Friday to multiple charges – including murder – in a 2019 school shooting outside Denver that left one student dead and eight injured, multiple news outlets reported.

Alec McKinney, who was born biologically female but identifies as male, pleaded guilty to 16 counts, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation, ABC News reported.

McKinney, 16, and Devon Erickson, 19, were arrested after allegedly opening fire on students at the STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7, 2019, the network reported.

According to an affidavit from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, McKinney said he wanted his classmates to “experience bad things” and “have to suffer from trauma like he has had to in his life,” The New York Times reported.

The affidavit also states McKinney said he targeted several particular classmates who “always made fun of him, ‘hated him,’ called him names and said he was disgusting for trying to be a guy,” the Times reported.

McKinney’s legal name is Maya McKinney.

Meanwhile, Erickson has pleaded not guilty to 48 charges stemming from the attack and is scheduled for his next court appearance on April 14, the Times reported.

Kendrick Castillo, 18, was killed during the rampage when he attempted to confront the gunmen, and Erickson is believed to have fired the fatal shot, the Times reported.

McKinney’s sentencing is slated for May 18.

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