The Justice Insight

Offender- Eric Harris

• Age: 18 years old
• Grade: 12th grade (Senior)
• Born: April 9, 1981, in Kansas
• Parents: Mother (Katherine Poole) and father (Wayne Harris)
• Siblings: Older brother, born in 1978

Offender- Dylan Klebold

• Age: 17 years old
• Grade: 12th grade (Senior)
• Born: September 11, 1981, in Colorado
• Parents: Mother (Sue Klebold) and father (Thomas Klebold)
• Siblings: Older brother, born in 1978
• Religion: Attended a Lutheran church

Victims

• Rachel Joy Scott (17)
• Steven Curnow (14)
• Cassie René Bernall (17)
• Matthew Kechter (16)
• Kyle Albert Velasquez (16)
• Isaiah Emon Shoels (18)
• John Tomlin (16)
• Lauren Townsend (18)
• Kelly Ann Fleming (16)
• Daniel Mauser (15)
• Corey DePooter (17)
• Daniel Lee Rohrbough (15)
• William ‘Dave’ Sanders (47)

For over a year prior to the attack, Eric Harris and Dylan Belbold covertly met to plan their intended attack of a large-scale bombing. The two made homemade explosive devices, which they placed in the cafeteria, classrooms, and vehicles, with the plan of the bombs going off during lunch, when hundreds of students would be sitting in the cafeteria. But these explosives failed to detonate, causing them to follow through with their plan by using handheld guns and going around the school murdering their classmates. Since both of the students were under the legal age of being able to purchase guns, they obtained the weapons from their acquaintances illegally. Once they realized the bombs were failing to work, they began shooting students outside of the school before making their way inside.

Once they reached the library, other students were already alerted about the shooting and were hiding to survive. Though the majority of the victims were harmed in the library. After Harris and Belbold had finished roaming the school, they returned to the library, where they both committed suicide, ending one of the deadliest mass shootings ever to be held at a place of education. Witnesses reported that Harris and Belhold often conversed with the victims during the attack, and while some believe the murders were at random, others think that when the offenders talked to the victims, they were deciding on whether or not they should be killed based on their response. Investigators who examined their personal items found journals, school assignments, and tapes that predicted, or even talked about, their plan of a homicide, with disturbing writings about assaults, hatred, sexuality, and even cannibalism.

Key Issues-

• School safety
• Emergency response
• Access to firearms by minors
• Bullying
• Mental health
• Influence of culture

Significance –

The Columbine High School Massacre had a profound impact on American society. The delayed response of enforcement led to the adoption of the IARD (immediate action rapid deployment), and also increased security, established zero-tolerance policies, and introduced stricter video monitoring in the educational environment. It sparked important conversations about gun rights, mental health, the impact of bullying, and influences from video games, television, and songs. Overall, it greatly improved the security and attention given to schools.