2014 Colorado Governor's race: on Crime

Bob Beauprez: Require public notice when releasing violent prison inmates

Hickenlooper responded, "This has been a problem in every state and all over the country: When someone serves their time, you can't keep them, but we tried to pass a law last year where you could have civil commitment of people who have mental illness and those deemed a real threat to others, and we couldn't get it through."

Beauprez's campaign accused the governor of "passing the buck" on public safety

John Hickenlooper: $20M for mental health 24/7 call-in centers

HICKENLOOPER: They did have a deputy sheriff on the premise. The moment there was trouble, he was running to the scene. But there's a balance. And school administrators are trying to make a school not be a fortress. They want to be a place for education.

Q: What about the motivation of this young man?

HICKENLOOPER: There have been reports that maybe he was bullied. Last year, we put in place over $20 million for mental health 24/7 call-in centers & mobile crisis centers, and to train people how to recognize mental illness when you see it. But this kid, by all accounts, didn't exhibit the warning signs of mental illness. Obviously, it's hard to fathom why he would have done this without being somewhat crazy. But bullying does seem to be involved. We have programs now throughout the state, anti-bullying, trying to get kids to deal with that in a more constructive way.