When the Evergreen High School shooter began firing and reloading a revolver, one of the two victims he critically wounded confronted the suspect, according to the victim’s family.

That bought time for others to escape, the family said, adding even after he was critically wounded, he ran to warn others.

“On Sept. 10, inside Evergreen High School, our 14-year-old son endured the unimaginable: a face-to-face encounter with a violent school shooter filled with anger and hatred,” the family said in a statement on Thursday.

The family did not release the name of the victim

The shooting began around 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 10 when authorities said 16-year-old Desmond Holly, the suspect, entered the school with a revolver and fired 20 rounds, injuring the unnamed student and 18-year-old Matthew Silverstone before taking his own life.

All three were taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood in critical condition.

The shooting took place during the school’s lunch period. Around 600 students were off campus, but around 200 were still within the building, according to Tyler Guyton, a senior and one of two student body presidents at the school.

According to the victim’s family, the 14-year-old and his friend confronted Holly prior to a lockdown being announced, buying time for others to escape.

“In those terrifying moments, our son showed a level of bravery, strength and will to survive that no child should ever be asked to display,” the family said.

The victim was shot at close range.

Even then, he ran through the school, alerting others. A librarian pointed him in the direction of an emergency medical technician, who immediately began working on the victim, likely saving his life.

The student was flown to the hospital, where he has since undergone multiple surgeries. He can now communicate in writing, first asking about the safety and health of everyone else at the school, the family said.

“His mind and messages were clear: The adults responsible for protecting children must take real, meaningful action so that no child or family endures this kind of horror — in school or anywhere. Character is proven when tested, and our son showed and continues to show his loving, caring heart and principled mind,” the family said.

The second victim, Silverstone, also remains in critical condition and is expected to need life-long care.

A GoFundMe for Silverstone and his family has raised over $476,000 in less than two weeks.

While details surrounding the shooting remained hazy , Silverstone’s uncle, Kris Koehler and letters from students spoke of similar courage during the incident, with Silverstone taking charge after lunch to make sure everyone got away from the shooting.

“I cannot thank you enough for getting them out of there. You’re truly a hero and such a kind person,” one student said in a letter to Silverstone.

“He’s not just the critically injured victim. There’s so much more to Matthew than that. So much life, so much love,” Koehler said in an interview with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Along with letters to the victims, the Evergreen community has come together to support both the students injured and others dealing with the trauma.

Evergreen High School senior Guyton told The Denver Gazette that there are two silver linings from the incident.

“One, thankfully there wasn’t more people injured,” he said. “The other part of that is our community has seriously stepped up. From an hour after the incident till today, there has been constant support.”

Students returned on Thursday for “gradual” days, with full classes expected to begin on Oct. 1.

“Our hearts are with the Evergreen community as students and staff return to school,” Lesley Dahlkemper, Jefferson County Commissioner for Evergreen, told The Denver Gazette. “This is a resilient, strong community that continues to grieve and heal. There’s also a lot of love here. Right now, it’s important to listen and respect what students, staff, and the community need most from us — whether it’s space, compassion, or resources. As a county, we are here to support Evergreen in any way possible.”