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CENTENNIAL —Hundrds of students fled in terror and many others huddled in the corners of locked-down classrooms on Friday after a gunman opened fire at Arapahoe High School.

Students who fled the school said at least two students were shot by another student in the cafeteria, but that could not immediately be confirmed. Police SWAT teams swarmed the school, which is at the corner of South University Boulevard and Dry Creek Road in Centennial. Bomb squads were also called to the scene.

The shooting began about 12:30 p.m.

Parents of Arapahoe High School students were asked to go to Shepherd of the Hills church, at 7691 S. University Boulevard, to reunite with their children.

"I was scared and shaking," one student said.

Arapahoe High School shooting
Students wait outside Arapahoe High School on December 13, 2013. (Ryan Parker, The Denver Post)
She said she heard, "bang, bang, bang" and by the third shot she was on the ground.

Students said they hid in the corners of dark classrooms until they were led out of classrooms. Adam Jones, whose sister goes to high school, said students are still locked in rooms about an hour after the shooting began and were "very scared."

A teacher wrote in a text message from inside the school: "lockdown-super scary."

The manager of a Subway across the street from the high school said Friday afternoon that the area is swamped with police cars and ambulance and fire trucks. She wasn't aware of what was happening at the school. An employee at the King Soopers in the shopping center also said there were many students at the scene.

Nearby Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church School is on lockdown.

"We saw some kids running on the south side of our parking lot," a secretary with the school said.

All schools in the Douglas County School District are on "lockout" status. No one is allowed into schools. Law enforcement has increased patrols in the Douglas County area.

Becky O'Guin, a spokeswoman with South Metro Fire Rescue, said firefighters were called out to the school at 12:30 p.m. on reports of a fire.

"We're on the scene with fire units and medics," O'Guin said.

Reporters are on the way to the scene, this story will be updated.

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