Columbine High School
Columbine High School was built in 1973. The school is located in Littleton, Colorado. This typical all-american high school gained worldwide notoriety on April 20th, 1999 when two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, carried out their planned attack of bringing firearms and explosives into the school, claiming the lives of twelve students, a teacher, and themselves. The event shocked the nation and sparked widespread debates about the safety of students in schools. The word “Columbine” has since become synonymous with school shootings in the American psyche; as both a symbol of the devastating impact of school violence and the urgent need for preventative measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.
The Before
The two perpetrators planned their attack on the school for over a year. They wrote about “going NBK [referencing the film National Born Killers]” in their journals while they drew detailed depictions of the acts they would commit. They mapped out the entire school, analyzing everything from hallway lighting, student foot traffic, class schedules, and hiding spots to plant propane bombs in a handwritten timeline narrowed down to the exact minute. In their writings, they discussed their contempt for certain individuals and groups of people. Eric Harris, especially, held many racist ideologies, often showing admiration for and quoting Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime in his journals.
Both Eric and Dylan worked at a Blackjack Pizza restaurant. This was where Eric would mess around with explosives and build pipe bombs until his manager caught him. He warned him to stop but did not report him to the authorities. One of their co-workers, Mark Manes, would be one of the two people to sell the boys their firearms. Even though he knew they were too young to have them, he sold them to the boys for $500. Robyn Anderson, a senior student at Columbine and Dylan’s prom date bought more firearms for them at the Tanner Gun Show in December of 1998 from unlicensed sellers. “Because Anderson purchased the guns for someone else, the transition constituted an illegal “straw purchase” (vpc.org). After the shooting, Manes was sentenced to six years in prison while Anderson was acquitted of all charges. Both claimed they had no idea what Eric and Dylan were planning.
Weeks before the attack, the boys created five home videos dubbed by the media as “The Basement Tapes.” They captured the duo’s anger, nihilistic views, and plans for the attack. The tapes, which have never been released to the public, showed them discussing their weapons, their plans for the attack, and their desire for infamy. In one tape, they debate whether Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino should direct a movie about them. There is an ongoing debate on whether these tapes should be released or not; some argue they offer much-needed insight into school shooters, while others believe they should not be seen out of respect for the students who were killed. In any case, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has claimed that every known copy of the Basement Tapes has been destroyed, seemingly putting an end to the debate.
The Day
Just seventeen days before graduation, many students’ lives would change forever. Both Eric and Dylan arrived at their 6am bowling class, but skipped the rest of their morning classes. After buying a propane tank from a local gas station and recording their final tape, the boys arrived at the school around 11:10am. They planted the propane bombs in the cafeteria, then went back outside to wait for them to explode. Their original plan was for the bombs to explode, killing hundreds of people as the library collapses into the cafeteria, and shooting the stragglers as they run to safety. However, when the bombs failed to explode, the two decided to start shooting anyway. At 11:17am, Eric shot and killed Rachel Joy Scott, who was eating lunch outside, followed by Daniel Rohrbough. When they made their way inside the school, Coach William “Dave” Sanders and the school custodians Jon Curtis and Jay Gallatine entered the cafeteria warning hundreds of students to take cover or run. As Dave Sanders tried to exit the cafeteria, he was spotted by Eric and shot two times in the neck and torso. Sanders dragged himself into a science room while other students tried to stop the bleeding and make him comfortable. He was bleeding out for three hours before he died. Had police and paramedics entered the school earlier, it is possible he would have survived.
The boys made their way to the library upstairs, where they carried out the rest of their rampage. Upon entering, one of the perpetrators said “Everyone with a white cap stand up!” When nobody stood up, they started shooting. Witnesses in the library reported one of the gunmen saying “This is what we always wanted to do! This is awesome!” They made cruel racial remarks to students of color, singling out Isaiah Shoels to be murdered. Ten of the thirteen victims died in the library: including Kyle Velaquez, Steve Curnow, Cassie Bernall, Matthew Kechter, Lauren Townsend, John Tomlin, Kelly Fleming, Daniel Mauser, and Corey DePooter. They spared students John Savage and Valeen Schnurr, believing their propane bombs would kill them anyway.
Once they left the library to check on their propane bombs downstairs, Craig Scott, brother of Rachel Scott, led a small group of students out of the library. When the killers returned, after a brief exchange of gunfire with the police outside, Eric Harris committed suicide. After Dylan Klebold lit and threw a molotov cocktail, he too committed suicide next to Eric. The attack lasted approximately forty-nine minutes. The boys were dead for three hours before police stormed the library. On top of the thirteen murdered, twenty-one were injured. This incident remains one of the deadliest school shootings in American history.
The Aftermath
The aftermath of April 20th, 1999, reverberated far beyond the borders of Littleton, Colorado, impacting individuals, communities, and societal perceptions across the nation and beyond. The shock and grief were palpable as the full extent of the tragedy unfolded. Families mourned the loss of loved ones, survivors grappled with physical and emotional wounds, and the community struggled to make sense of the senseless violence that had shattered their lives.
This tragedy continues to exert a profound influence on American society today, shaping conversations, policies, and perceptions surrounding issues of school safety, gun violence, mental health, and media influences.
Firstly, it prompted a significant shift in how schools approach safety and security. It led to the widespread measures of lockdown drills, increased police presence on campuses, and the implementation of security technologies to prevent and respond to potential threats. The event also sparked discussions about the balance between security measures and maintaining a nurturing learning environment.
Additionally, the media’s coverage of the massacre raised questions about responsible reporting practices and the potential for sensationalized coverage to inadvertently inspire copycat acts of violence. It prompted discussions about ethical guidelines and the roles of media in shaping public perceptions of violence and mental illness.
The legacy of Columbine continues to shape national discourse and responses to issues of violence, safety, and mental health in schools and society at large. While progress has been made in some areas, mass shootings are only becoming deadlier and more frequent. Many believe these measures are not enough. This event serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing challenges and complexities of addressing and preventing mass violence in the modern era.
