The 17-year-old suspect accused in a shooting at a Denver high school was found dead in a neighboring county, authorities confirmed via NBC News.

The body of Austin Lyle, 17, who had been named by Denver Police as the suspect in the East High School shooting hours earlier, was found near a suspect vehicle in Park County, located southwest of Denver, the Park County coroner's office announced early Thursday (March 23) morning. Lyle's next of kin were notified amid an ongoing death investigation, the coroner's office confirmed.

The office said no additional details would be shared until an autopsy was completed. A shelter-in-place order was issued near Bailey, Colorado, located about 35 miles from East High School, when the SUV was initially located and later lifted after Lyle's body was found.

The teenager's remains were located in a wooded area about 2/10th of a mile from the red Volvo that authorities identified as a suspect vehicle, Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw confirmed to NBC News by phone. The shooting took place at East High School at around 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday (March 22), according to the Denver Police Department.

Lyle was reported to have been under a "safety plan" while attending the school, having agreed to be patted down each morning away from students and other staff, according to officials.

“During that search, obviously a weapon was retrieved,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas via NBC News. “A handgun was retrieved, and several shots were fired."

Police said the firearm wasn't recovered at East High School. One victim wounded during the shooting remains hospitalized in serious condition, while a second had been discharged in good condition, a spokesperson for Denver Health said via NBC News.

Lyle had never been found with a weapon prior to Wednesday's shooting, according to police. Authorities didn't say how long the student was under the safety plan and refrained from revealing why it was enacted in adherence with federal student privacy laws.

Ed Lambert