School door shooting called vandalism

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office is investigating an incident after shots were fired through a door at Cottonwood Plains Elementary School just south of Fort Collins on Saturday night.

Deputies believe the shots occurred Saturday night, possibly about midnight. A teacher called authorities Sunday afternoon after seeing evidence of gunshots through a back door of the building, 525 Turman Drive, according to the sheriff's dispatch line.

As of Monday evening, police have not made a connection between this shooting and the one at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center, 4700 Lady Moon Drive, off Harmony Road. That shooting also occurred Saturday night and damaged the building and a window. No one was injured.

The Thompson School District school was empty at the time of the shooting, and no one was injured, sheriff's office spokesman David Moore said. The office is investigating the incident as criminal mischief. Moore declined to provide additional information because the investigation is ongoing.

School officials directed media requests to Thompson School District spokesman Mike Hausmann, who wouldn't provide additional details about the incident. But he said parents would receive an email and physical letter Monday containing basic information about what happened.

"It's a vandalism incident," Hausmann said, adding that parents would have been notified sooner had anyone been in danger.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the sheriff's office at 970-416-1985, or Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868.

Reporter Jacy Marmaduke covers environment and breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter at @jacymarmaduke.