After a shooting spree at columbine shooting in Littleton, Colorado, on April 20, 1999, that resulted in the deaths of 13 people and the injuries of more than 20 others, two teenagers turned their weapons on themselves and committed suicide. The Columbine High School shooting was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history at the time, and it sparked a national debate about gun control and school safety.
Columbine Shooting Investigation
The Columbine shooting also sparked a major investigation to determine what motivated the shooters, Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, to attack. Gun control in the United States has been a topic of discussion ever since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School incident in Parkland, Florida.
Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, both clothed in trench coats, opened fire on fellow students outside Columbine High School, located in a suburb south of Denver, at approximately 11:19 a.m. on April 20, 1999. According to witnesses, the couple then walked inside the school, where they killed a large number of their victims in the library.
Two Teenagers Committed Suicide
When it took them to kill 12 kids and a teacher, Klebold and Harris had already injured more than 20 others. Shortly after noon, the two teenagers committed suicide by shooting themselves in the head.Police discovered that Harris and Klebold had arrived at columbine shooting at 11:10 a.m. on the morning of the slaughter in separate cars. Once inside the school cafeteria, the two men deposited two duffel bags containing a 20-pound propane bomb, each of which was intended to explode at 11:17 a.m. The two men then walked out of the building.
The teenagers then went back outside to their cars to wait for the bombs to go off, which they did not see coming. When the bombs failed to detonate, Harris and Klebold went on a shooting spree, killing everyone they came across.Many people believed that Harris and Klebold chose their victims on purpose following the shootings. Athletes, minorities, and Christians were among those who were suspected of being targeted.
Shooters Initially Approached
One of the shooters initially approached a student, Cassie Bernall, and inquired whether she believed in God. Bernall was allegedly shot to death after responding affirmatively. Her parents later wrote a book in her honor, titled She Said Yes, available on Amazon.
After further investigation at the Columbine shooting it was discovered that the question was not posed to Bernall but rather to another student who had a gunshot and had already been wounded. When the victim responded affirmatively, the shooter turned and went away.Following investigations, it was discovered that Harris and Klebold choose their victims at random. The two teenagers had originally intended to bomb their school, potentially killing hundreds of students and faculty.
Final Say
Harris and Klebold were suspected of the crimes because they were members of a gang of social outcasts known as the Trenchcoat Mafia, which was intrigued with goth culture. It was also speculated that Harris and Klebold carried out the shootings in revenge for being bullied by their peers.The authorities were also accused of encouraging the killers with violent video games and music. On the other hand, none of these notions has ever been confirmed.
