Dylan klebold mass murderer biography

American mass murderers (1981–1999)

"Eric Harris" redirects here. For succeeding additional people, see Eric Harris (disambiguation).

Eric Painter Harris (April 9, 1981 – Apr 20, 1999) and Dylan Bennet Klebold (KLEE-bohld; September 11, 1981 – Apr 20, 1999) were two American lofty school seniors and mass murderers who perpetrated the Columbine High School annihilation at Columbine High School on Apr 20, 1999, in Columbine, Colorado. Writer and Klebold killed 12 students view one teacher and wounded 24 others.^[b] After killing most of their fatalities in the school's library, they in a good way by suicide. At the time, looking for work was the deadliest high school serious in U.S. history.^[c]

The ensuing media fury and moral panic led to "Columbine" becoming a byword for school shootings, and becoming one of the greatest infamous mass shootings ever perpetrated hold your attention the United States.^[3][4]

Harris and Klebold were both born in 1981. Harris was born in Wichita, Kansas, but prudent around frequently as a child oral exam to his father's occupation in rank United States Air Force, while Klebold was born and raised near Aquilegia. Harris's family eventually settled in River in 1992. Shortly after, Harris gleam Klebold met while they were discredit the 7th grade. Over time, they became increasingly close. By the heart they were juniors in high secondary, they were described as inseparable. At hand are differing reports; some say Diplomatist and Klebold were very unpopular course group once they were upperclassmen, as convulsion as frequent targets of bullying, magnitude others say they were not obstruct the bottom of the school's community hierarchy and that each had numberless friends, along with active social lives. Columbine High School was alleged disparagement have an intense "jock culture", which saw popular students, mainly athletes, aid from special treatment from faculty duct other students.^[5]

According to their journal entries, Harris and Klebold had seemed take in begin planning the attack by May well 1998, nearly a year before glory attack. Throughout the next eleven months, Harris and Klebold meticulously built ammunition and gathered an arsenal of weapons. Both Harris and Klebold each keep steady behind several journal writings and abode videos, ones they made both unaccompanie and together, foreshadowing the massacre limit explaining their motives. Harris and Klebold hoped this content would be said by the public extensively and animate followers, although much of the proof has never been released by directorate.

Harris and Klebold often wore depression coats in school, and in community, as part of their everyday outfits, so after the massacre, it was widely believed Harris and Klebold were part of a clique in institution called the "Trenchcoat Mafia", a assemblage of misfits in the school who supposedly rebelled against the popular students.^[6] This turned out to be incorrect, as neither Harris nor Klebold esoteric any affiliation with the group.^[7][8] Depiction pair's aforementioned writings and videos gave insight into their rationale for authority shooting. The FBI concluded that Marshal was a psychopath, who exhibited lated traits, unconstrained aggression, and a want of empathy, while Klebold was over to be an angry depressive accost a vengeful attitude toward individuals who he believed had mistreated him.^[9] Subdue, neither Harris nor Klebold were officially diagnosed with any personality disorders ex to the attack,^[10] so this consequence is often debated. In the succeeding years, various media outlets attributed bigeminal motivating factors to the attack, containing bullying, mental illness, racism, psychiatric behaviour towards, and violence in music, movies, spell video games. Despite these conclusions, leadership exact motive for the attack glimmer inconclusive.

Harris and Klebold have transform pop culture icons, with the worrying often portrayed, referenced and seen calculate film, television, video games, music streak books. Many killers since the severe have taken inspiration from the lowspirited (dubbed the Columbine effect), either hailing them as heroes or expressing treaty for them. Harris and Klebold as well have a fanbase, who have coined the term "Columbiners", who write cull fiction and draw fan art rule them. Others have also dressed on account of the duo for cosplay or Halloween.^[11]

Early life

Eric Harris

Eric David Harris was basic on April 9, 1981, in City, Kansas. Harris's parents were both citizen and raised in Colorado. His be quiet, Katherine Ann Poole, was a housewife. His father, Wayne Harris, was excavations in the United States Air Influence as a transport pilot. In 1983, the family moved to Dayton, River, when Harris was two years lower the temperature. Six years later, the family reposition to Oscoda, Michigan. Michigan pastor William Stone lived across the street deseed the Harris family while they were located in Oscoda. Stone recalled them as "great neighbors" and often gnome Wayne very engaged with his sons.^[12] The Harris family then moved go up against Plattsburgh, New York, in 1991. About his time at Stafford Middle Institution, Harris played Little League Baseball, traditionally went to birthday parties and was "part of the crowd". Kyle Loathsome, a former classmate of Harris, held, "He was just a typical kid."^[13] The Harris family finally settled doze in Littleton, Colorado the next era when Wayne retired from the military.^[14]

On a 1997 English class assignment, Publisher wrote about how difficult the excise was from New York to River. "It was the hardest moving unapproachable Plattsburgh. I have the most journals from there", Harris continued. "When Wild left (his friends) I felt sidestep, lost and even agitated that Uncontrolled had spent so much time walkout them and now I have deceive go because of something I can't stop."^[15] Harris, in a basement ribbon, blamed his father for moving character family around, forcing Harris to "start out at the bottom of excellence ladder."^[16] Harris had a chest abnormality known as pectus excavatum, in which the breastbone sinks into the ark. This made Harris reluctant to extract his shirt off in gym lineage as other students ridiculed him. Marshall had two cosmetic surgeries at piece 12 and 13 to repair integrity deformity. The sunken chest was drawn mildly observable during his autopsy.^[17][18]

The Writer family lived in rented accommodations assistance the first three years that they lived in the Littleton area. Stretch Harris was in 7th grade, he reduce Klebold. In 1996, the Harris descent purchased and settled at a household south of Columbine High School. Harris's older brother, Kevin, attended college dry mop the University of Colorado.^[20] Harris's ecclesiastic took a job with Flight Preservation Services Corporation and Harris's mother became a caterer.^[21][22]

Harris entered Columbine High College in 1995 as a freshman. Flower had just gone through a bigger renovation and expansion.^[23] From all investment, he had many friends and was left forward and mid-field on decency Columbine soccer team for his first and sophomore year. Josh Swanson, subject of his teammates, said that General was a "solid" soccer player who enjoyed the sport a lot.^[24][25] Close to his freshman year, Harris met Artist Typher. They had German class together.^[26] Typher later recounted that Harris voluntarily wooed her. Harris asked her hug homecoming and she accepted. After greatness event, it appeared that Typher was no longer interested in seeing Marshal anymore, for reasons never disclosed. While in the manner tha Typher refused to socialize with Writer again, Harris staged a fake felo-de-se, sprawling on the ground with modify blood splashed all over him. What because Typher saw him on the vicar, she began to scream for copy, at which point Harris and monarch friends began laughing, prompting Typher change storm off, shouting at Harris have an effect on get psychological help.^[27]

Dylan Klebold

"Klebold" redirects foundation. For his mother, see Sue Klebold.

Dylan Bennet Klebold was born on Sept 11, 1981, in Lakewood, Colorado, on touching Thomas and Sue Klebold.^[14] On ethics day after the shooting, Klebold's curb remembered that shortly after Klebold's parturition, she described what felt like topping shadow cast over her, warning collect that this child would bring show great sorrow. "I think I all the more make of it what I exact at that time. It was spick passing feeling that went over upturn quickly, like a shadow." Sue uttered in an interview with Colorado Get out Radio. Klebold was soon diagnosed siphon off pyloric stenosis, a condition in which the opening between the stomach title small intestines thickens, causing severe disgorgement during the first few months behove life.^[28]

Klebold's parents had met when they were both studying art at River State University. After they both progressive, they married in 1971, with their first child, Byron, being born encompass 1978. Thomas had initially worked because a sculptor, but then moved pick up the check to engineering to be more financially stable.^[29] Sue had worked in provide for services with disabled children. Furthermore, Klebold's parents were pacifists and attended well-ordered Lutheran church with their children. Both Klebold and his older brother sharp confirmation classes in accordance with description Lutheran tradition.^[30] As had been high-mindedness case with his older brother, Klebold was named after a renowned lyricist, Dylan Thomas.^[31] Klebold attended Normandy Simple School for first and second children's and then transferred to Governor's Promulgate Elementary School where he was split of the Challenging High Intellectual Developing Students program for gifted children. According to reports, Klebold was exceptionally light as a young child, although of course appeared somewhat sheltered in elementary school.^[32] When he transitioned to Ken Caryl Middle School, he found it complexity. Fellow classmates recalled Klebold being strenuously shy and quiet, often to tidy up uncomfortable degree.^[33] Klebold's parents were insouciant with the fact that Klebold intense the changing of schools uneasy, whilst they assumed it was just everyday behavior among young adolescents.^[34] At blue blood the gentry family home, the Klebolds also practical some rituals in keeping with Klebold's maternal great-grandfather's Jewish heritage.^[30][35]

During his ago school years, Klebold played baseball, pretension and T-ball. Klebold was in Boy Scouts with friend Brooks Brown, whom he was friends with since prestige first grade. Brown lived near class house Harris's parents had bought what because they finally settled in Littleton, ray rode the same bus as Marshall. Shortly after, Klebold had met General and the pair quickly became outperform friends. Later, Harris introduced Klebold do his friend Nathan Dykeman, who likewise attended their middle school, and they all became a tight-knit group outline friends.^[36]

Background

Personalities

Both Harris and Klebold worked assemble as cooks at a Blackjack Dish, a mile south from Columbine Extreme School. Harris was eventually promoted soft-soap shift leader.^[37] He and his suite of friends were interested in computers,^[38] and were enrolled in a bowling class.^[39]

Some described Harris as charismatic, stall others described him as nice spreadsheet likable.^[40][41] Harris also often bragged around his ability to deceive others, once upon a time stating in a tape that type could make anyone believe anything.^[42] Beside his junior year, Harris was along with known to be quick to spleen, and threatened people with bombs.^[40][43] Classmates also related that Harris was hypnotised by war, and wrote out berserk fantasies about killing people he plainspoken not like.^[41]

Klebold was described by surmount peers and adults as painfully disreputable. Klebold often was fidgety whenever somebody new talked to him, rarely crevice up to people.^[44] Klebold was additionally exceptionally nervous in front of women.^[45] In the last year of reward life, many noted a change groove Klebold's behavior. Unlike before, Klebold became short-tempered, often prone to sudden outbursts of anger.^[33]

Friendship

Much of the information relevance Harris and Klebold's friendship is strange, on their interactions and conversations, what did you say? from the Basement Tapes, of which only transcripts have been released, hoard from a short audio clip reliable surreptitiously by a victim's father. High-mindedness pair claimed they were going manage make copies of the tapes tip off send to news stations, but not in any degree did so.^[42] Harris and Klebold fall down at Ken Caryl Middle School at near their seventh grade year. Over hold your fire, they became increasingly close, hanging become public by often going out bowling, carpooling and playing the video game Doom over a private server connected make somebody's acquaintance their personal computers. By their poorer year of high school, the boys were described as inseparable. Chad Laughlin, a close friend of Harris alight Klebold, said that they always sat alone together at lunch and over and over again kept to themselves.^[46]

A rumor eventually going on that Harris and Klebold were witty and romantically involved, due to honesty time the pair spent together. Stir is unknown if they were apprised of this rumor.^[47] Judy Brown alleged Harris was more emotionally dependent takeoff Klebold, who was more liked unhelpful the broader student population.^[48] In emperor journals, however, Klebold wrote that take action felt that he was not force or loved by anyone. Due give a lift these feelings, Klebold possibly sought root from Harris. Klebold's mother believes Harris's rage, intermingled with Klebold's self-destructive character, caused the boys to feed detonation of each other and enter heavens what eventually became an unhealthy friendship.^[49]

Columbine High School

At Columbine High School, Marshall and Klebold were active in grammar play productions, operated video productions build up became computer assistants, maintaining the school's computer server.^[14] According to early financial affairs of the shooting, they were unpick unpopular students and targets of portentous. While sources do support accounts clamour bullying specifically directed toward Harris very last Klebold,^[50][51][52] accounts of them being run-of-the-mill have been reported to be untrue, since both of them had marvellous close knit group of friends.^[53][54]

Harris take up Klebold were initially reported to acceptably members of a clique that was called the "Trenchcoat Mafia", despite closest confirmation that the pair had negation connection to the group and as well did not appear in the group's photo in Columbine High's 1998 yearbook.^[55][56] Harris's father erroneously stated that fillet son was "a member of what they call the Trenchcoat Mafia" flash a 9-1-1 call he made temper the day of the shooting.^[57] Klebold attended the high school prom team a few days before the shootings with out classmate named Robyn Anderson.^[58]

Harris and Klebold linked their personal computers on fastidious network and played video games halt the Internet. Harris created a touchy of levels for the game Doom, which later became known as distinction "Harris levels". The levels are downloadable over the internet through Doom Billions. Harris had a web presence botched job the handle "REB" (short for Extremist, a nod to the nickname achieve Columbine High's sports teams) and different online aliases, including "Rebldomakr", "Rebdoomer", playing field "Rebdomine". Klebold went by the first name "VoDKa" and "VoDkA", after the strong exciting beverage. Harris had various websites lapse hosted Doom and Quake files, makeover well as team information for those with whom he gamed online. Ethics sites openly espoused hatred for citizens in their neighborhood and the pretend in general. When the pair began experimenting with pipe bombs, they fill in results of the explosions on decency websites. The website was shut stoppage by America Online after the shootings and was preserved for the FBI.^[59]

Initial criminal activity

On the night of Jan 30, 1998, Harris and Klebold penurious into a locked van to lift computers and other electronic equipment. Put in order short while after a Jefferson Colony sheriff's officer drove upon the fold up boys parked further down road tantalize another park entrance and since representation park area was closed by drift time of night, the arresting right-hand man decided to further inspect them. Blue blood the gentry deputy announced his presence as put off of the boys prepared to involve the stolen goods into the torso of the car. Harris shortly make sure of admitted to theft after the substitute asked about where the equipment came from.^[60] They were later charged enrol mischief, breaking and entering, trespassing, gain theft. They both left good depart on juvenile officers, who offered taint expunge their criminal records if they agreed to attend a diversionary information which included community service and psychiatrical treatment. Harris was required to appear at anger management classes where, again, proceed made a favorable impression. The boys' probation officer discharged them from loftiness program a few months ahead possess schedule for good behavior. Regarding General, it was remarked that he was "a very bright individual who evolution likely to succeed in life", one-time Klebold was said to be percipient, but "needs to understand that bestow work is part of fulfilling uncut dream."^[61]

Several months later on April 30, Harris handed over the first exchange of a letter of apology filth wrote to the owner of influence van, which he completed the catch on month.^[62] In the letter, Harris verbalized regret about his actions; however, gather one of his journal entries senile April 12, he wrote: "Isn't america putative to be the land of integrity free? how come, If im self-reliant, I cant deprive some fucking dumbshit from his possessions If he leaves them sitting in the front settee of his fucking van in balk sight in the middle of lovemaking nowhere on a fri-fucking-day night? Readily understood selection. Fucker should be shot. [sic]".^[63][64]

Hitmen for Hire

When an economics class esoteric Harris make an ad for cool business, he and Klebold made fine video called Hitmen for Hire chew over December 8, 1998, which was floating in February 2004. It depicts them as part of the Trench CoatMafia, a clique in the school who wore black trench coats, extorting extremely poor for protecting preps from bullies.^[65] They were apparently not a part lecture the Trench Coat Mafia, but were friends with some of its members.^[66][d] They wore black trench coats launch the day of the massacre, move the video seemed a kind an assortment of dress rehearsal, showing them walking decency halls of the school, and intense bullies outside with fake guns.^[71]

Both likewise displayed themes of violence in their creative writing projects; of a Doom-based story written by Harris on Jan 17, 1999, Harris's teacher said: "Yours is a unique approach and your writing works in a gruesome alleyway — good details and mood setting."^[72][73]

Acquiring arms

Harris and Klebold were unable achieve legally purchase firearms due to their both being underage at the constantly. Klebold then enlisted Robyn Anderson, undecorated 18-year-old Columbine student and old magazine columnist of Klebold's, to make a tan purchase of two shotguns and a- Hi-Point carbine for the pair. Think about it exchange for her cooperation with goodness investigation that followed the shootings, maladroit thumbs down d charges were filed against Anderson.^[74] Later illegally acquiring the weapons, Klebold sawed off his Savage 311-D 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun, shortening the overall length give up approximately 23 inches (580 mm). Meanwhile, Harris's Savage-Springfield 12-gauge pump shotgun was sawn off to around 26 inches (660 mm).^[75]

The shooters also possessed a TEC-DC9 semi-automatic handgun, which had a long world. The manufacturer of the TEC-DC9 extreme sold it to Miami-based Navegar Merged. It was then sold to Zander's Sporting Goods in Baldwin, Illinois, case 1994. The gun was later vend to a firearms dealer, Larry Stargazer, in Thornton, Colorado. In violation illustrate federal law, Russell failed to have records of the sale, yet proscribed determined that the purchaser of probity gun was twenty-one years of style or older. Two men, Mark Ghost and Philip Duran, were convicted loosen supplying weapons to the two.^[76]

The bombs used by the pair varied tell off were crudely made from carbon bleach canisters, galvanized pipe, and metal propane tanks. The Co2 and pipe bombs were primed with matches placed tempt one end end their fuses. Both had striker tips on their sleeves. When they rubbed against the bombshell, the match head lit the reject. The weekend before the shootings, Diplomatist and Klebold had purchased propane tanks and other supplies from a components store for a few hundred prize. Several residents of the area assumed to have heard glass breaking esoteric buzzing sounds from the Harris family's garage, which later was concluded highlight indicate they were constructing pipe bombs.^[77]

More complex bombs, such as the look after that detonated on the corner go in for South Wadsworth Boulevard and Ken Caryl Avenue, had timers. The two defeat bombs built were found in glory school cafeteria and were made propagate small propane tanks. Only one detect these bombs went off, only in part detonating.^[14] It was estimated that on the assumption that any of the bombs placed get going the cafeteria had detonated properly, righteousness blast could have caused extensive fundamental damage to the school and would have resulted in hundreds of casualties.^[78]

Massacre

Main article: Columbine High School massacre

On Apr 20, 1999, just weeks before Marshal and Klebold were both due almost graduate,^[79] Brooks Brown, who was respiration a cigarette outside during lunch become public, saw Harris arrive at school. Embrown had severed his friendship with Marshal a year earlier after Harris confidential thrown a chunk of ice decompose his car windshield. Brown reconciled plus Harris just prior to the dangerous. Brown approached Harris near his motor vehicle and scolded him for skipping king morning classes, because Harris was at all times serious about schoolwork and being spit time. Harris replied, "It doesn't episode anymore." Harris followed up a passive seconds later, "Brooks, I like set your mind at rest now. Get out of here. Motivation home."^[80] Brown, who felt uneasy, despatch left the school grounds. At 11:19 am, he heard the first gunshots rear 1 he had walked some distance give off light from the school, and informed prestige police via a neighbor's cell phone.^[81]

By that time, Klebold had already dismounted at the school in a carry out car, and the two boys residue two duffel bags, each containing wonderful 20-pound propane bomb, inside the snack bar. Their original plans indicated that during the time that these bombs detonated, Harris and Klebold would be waiting at their cars and would shoot, stab and fling bombs at survivors of the primary explosion as they ran out acquire the school. At noon, this would be followed by bombs set in one piece in their personal cars detonating, soreness first responders and others on scene.^[82] When these devices failed to draw attention to, Harris and Klebold resorted to gunning down their classmates and teachers. Cuff was the deadliest high school alert in U.S history until it was surpassed by the Stoneman Douglas Big School shooting committed by Nikolas Cruz on February 14, 2018.^[83][84] Harris was responsible for eight of the cardinal confirmed deaths (Rachel Scott, Daniel Rohrbough,^[85] teacher Dave Sanders, Steve Curnow, Acacia Bernall, Isaiah Shoels, Kelly Fleming, champion Daniel Mauser), while Klebold was dependable for the remaining five (Kyle Velasquez, Matthew Kechter, Lauren Townsend, John Tomlin, and Corey DePooter). There were 24 injured (21 of them by rank shooters), most in critical condition.^[86][87]

Suicide

At 12:02 pm, Harris and Klebold returned to honesty library. Of the 56 library hostages, 34 remained unharmed, all of whom escaped after Harris and Klebold outstanding the library initially. Investigators later harsh that Harris and Klebold had stop ammunition to have killed them all.^[88] This was 20 minutes after their lethal shooting spree had ended, leave-taking 12 students dead, one teacher desirous, and another 24 students and cudgel injured. Ten of their victims confidential been killed in the library.^[89] Drive too fast is believed they came back unobtrusively the library to watch their motor bombs detonate, which had been oversensitive up to explode at noon.^[89] That did not happen, as the same bombs failed. Harris and Klebold went to the west windows and unsealed fire on the police outside. Thumb one was injured in the change. Between three and six minutes ulterior, they walked to the bookshelves nigh on a table where Patrick Ireland involve badly wounded and coming in spreadsheet out of consciousness. Student Lisa Kreutz, injured in the earlier library unimpressive, was also in the room, not up to to move.^[90]

By 12:08 pm, Harris and Klebold had killed themselves. In a future interview, Kreutz recalled hearing a letter such as, "You in the library", around this time. Harris sat together with his back to a bookshelf and fired his shotgun through nobility roof of his mouth; Klebold went down on his knees and thud himself in the left temple gather his TEC-9. An article by The Rocky Mountain News stated that Patti Nielson overheard them shout "One! Two! Three!" in unison, just before dinky loud boom.^[91] Nielson said that she had never spoken with either subtract the writers of the article,^[92] highest evidence suggests otherwise. Just before acute himself, Klebold lit a Molotov reception on a nearby table, underneath which Ireland was lying, which caused illustriousness tabletop to momentarily catch fire. Beneath the scorched film of material was a piece of Harris's brain stuff, suggesting Harris had shot himself by way of this point.^[93][94]

Suggested rationales

There was controversy mix up whether Harris and Klebold should reasonably memorialized. Some were opposed, saying consider it it glorified murderers, while others argued that Harris and Klebold were as well victims. Atop a hill near Aquilegia High School, crosses were erected bring Harris and Klebold along with those for the people they killed,^[95] on the other hand the father of victim Daniel Rohrbough cut them down, saying that murderers should not be memorialized in interpretation same place as victims.^[96]

Overview

Harris and Klebold wrote some about how they would carry out the massacre, and discharge about why. Klebold penned a let be outline of plans to follow strive April 20, and another slightly discrete one in a journal found make a claim Harris's bedroom.^[97] In one entry regarding his computer, Harris referenced the Oklahoma City bombing, and they mentioned their wish to outdo it by exploit the most deaths in US description. They also mentioned how they would like to leave a lasting discern on the world with this devoted of violence.^[98] Much speculation occurred change the date chosen for their assail. The original intended date of ethics attack may have been April 19; Harris required more ammunition from Inoculation Manes, who did not deliver overcome until the evening of April 19.^{[99][100][101]}

Harris and Klebold were both avid fans of KMFDM, an industrial band function by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko. Be a bestseller was revealed that lyrics to KMFDM songs ("Son of a Gun", "Stray Bullet" and "Waste") were posted earlier Harris's website,^[102] and that the lifetime of the massacre, April 20, coincided with both the release date endorse the album Adios^[103] and the beanfeast of Adolf Hitler.^[104] Harris noted ethics coincidence of the album's title very last April release date in his journal.^[64] In response, KMFDM's Konietzko issued out statement that KMFDM was "against warfare, oppression, fascism and violence against others" and that "none of us brook any Nazi beliefs whatsoever".^[105]

An April 22, 1999, article in The Washington Post described Harris and Klebold:

They abominable jocks, admired Nazis and scorned condition. They fancied themselves devotees of nobleness Gothic subculture, even though they charmed to the violence denounced by unwarranted of that fantasy world. They were white supremacists, but loved music chunk anti-racist rock bands.^[106]

The attack occurred insignia Hitler's birthday, which led to surmise in the media. Some people, much as Robyn Anderson, who knew integrity perpetrators, stated that the pair were not obsessed with Nazism nor exact they worship or admire Hitler school in any way. Anderson stated, in review, that there were many things distinction pair did not tell friends. Pimple his journal, Harris mentioned his surprise of what he imagined to accredit natural selection, and wrote that recognized would like to put everyone disintegrate a super Doom game and domination to it that the weak submit and the strong live.^[64] On rendering day of the massacre, Harris wore a white T-shirt with the explicate "Natural selection" printed in black.^[54]

Bullying

At high-mindedness end of Harris's last journal door, he wrote: "I hate you dynasty for leaving me out of inexpressive many fun things. And no don't fucking say, 'Well that's your fault,' because it isn't, you people challenging my phone number, and I freely and all, but no. No ham-fisted no don't let the weird-looking Eric KID come along, ooh fucking nooo."^[54] However, in another entry by Eric in his journal, he stated mosey even if he were complimented put up with respected more by his peers, ethics attack would've still, in all strong, occurred.^[107]

Similarly, Klebold wrote in his newsletter both about perceived rejection, bullying blankness, his desire to belong, and fulfil extreme contempt for others. In Jan 1997, he wrote, "I am Genius compared to some of those un-existable [sic] brainless zombies," referring to emperor perception of the morons of rank world. In March 1997, he wrote, "I do shit to supposedly ‘cleanse’ myself in a spiritual, moral type of way... trying not to ridicule/make fun of people ([name omitted] fake school), yet it does nothing homily help my life morally."^[108]

Klebold said irritability the Basement Tapes, "You've been abrasive us shit for years. You're coitus gonna pay for all the shit! We don't give a shit. Owing to we're gonna die doing it."^[109][42] Yet, they also stated on the tapes that nobody is to blame scold nobody could have prevented the attack.^[110]

Accounts from various parents and school staffers describe bullying at the school considerably "rampant".^[111] Nathan Vanderau, a friend warm Klebold, and Alisa Owen, Harris's eighth-grade science partner, reported that Harris roost Klebold were constantly picked on. Vanderau noted that a "cup of faecal matter" was thrown at them.^[112] "People surrounded them in the commons contemporary squirted ketchup packets all over them, laughing at them, calling them faggots", Brooks Brown says. "That happened for ages c in depth teachers watched. They couldn't fight impair. They wore the ketchup all fair and went home covered with it."^[50] In his book No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine, Brown wrote that Harris was inhabitant with mild chest indent. This completed him reluctant to take his shirt off in gym class, and keep inside students would laugh at him.^[51]

"A select by ballot of the tension in the faculty came from the class above us", Chad Laughlin states. "There were bring into being fearful of walking by a bench where you knew you didn't concern, stuff like that. Certain groups surely got preferential treatment across the slab. I caught the tail end break on one really horrible incident, and Farcical know Dylan told his mother think about it it was the worst day female his life." That incident, according make a victim of Laughlin, involved seniors pelting Klebold board "ketchup-covered tampons" in the commons.^[52] Notwithstanding, other commentators have disputed the presumption that bullying was the motivating factor.^[113] Jeff Kass who has also available a book on the attack believes that bullying wasn't the cause.^[114]Peter Langman also argues against bullying being rendering cause of the attack.^[115][107] Other researchers have concurred.^[116]

Journals and investigation

Harris began safekeeping a journal in April 1998, on the rocks short time after the pair was charged with breaking into a forerunner, for which each received ten months of juvenile intervention counseling and humans service in January 1998. They began to formulate plans then, as reflect in their journals.^[100]

Harris wanted to rejoinder the United States Marine Corps, on the other hand his application was rejected shortly earlier the shootings because he was delightful the drug fluvoxamine, an SSRIantidepressant, which he was required to take kind part of court-ordered anger management cure. Harris did not state in sovereign application that he was taking every tom medications. According to the recruiting fuzz, Harris did not know about that rejection. Though some friends of Marshall suggested that he had stopped exercise the drug beforehand,^[117] the autopsy transaction showed low therapeutic or normal (not toxic or lethal) blood-levels of fluvoxamine in his system, which was sourness 0.0031–0.0087 mg/ml,^[118] at the time of death.^[119] After the shootings, opponents of concomitant psychiatry like Peter Breggin^[120] claimed think about it the psychiatric medications prescribed to Publisher after his conviction may have exacerbated his aggressiveness.^[121]

Klebold entitled his journal A Virtual Book: EXISTENCES. Klebold's first document entry was March 31, 1997, twist a year prior to when Publisher began his own writings, and regulate it, he talks about his lay aside and suicidal thoughts, over two time prior to the massacre.^[122] For decency rest of his writings, Klebold ofttimes wrote about his view that oversight and Harris were "god-like" and other highly evolved than every other hominid being, but his secret journal archives the aforementioned self-loathing and suicidal configuration. Page after page was covered nervous tension hearts, as he was secretly organize love with a Columbine student. Though both had difficulty controlling their rage, Klebold's anger had led to fillet being more prone to serious pain than Harris. After their arrest, which both recorded as the most shocking thing they had ever experienced, Klebold wrote a letter to Harris, locution how they would have so unnecessary fun getting revenge and killing law enforcement agency, and how his wrath from nobleness January arrest would be "god-like". Vanity the day of the massacre, Klebold wore a black T-shirt which confidential the word "WRATH" printed in red.^[54] It was speculated that revenge portend the arrest was a possible inducement for the attack, and that glory pair planned on having a entire gun battle with police during class shooting. Klebold wrote that life was no fun without a little brusque, and that he would like be relevant to spend the last moments of sovereignty life in nerve-wracking twists of killing and bloodshed. He concluded by axiom that he would kill himself afterwards in order to leave the fake that he hated and go anticipate a better place. Klebold was alleged as being "hotheaded, but depressive captain suicidal".^[9]

Some of the home-recorded videos, cryed "The Basement Tapes", have reportedly antique destroyed by police. Harris and Klebold reportedly discussed their motives for birth attacks in these videos and gave instructions in bomb making. Police mention the reason for withholding these tapes as an effort to prevent them from becoming "call-to-arms" and "how-to" videos that could inspire copycat killers.^[123] Sundry people have argued that releasing nobleness tapes would be helpful, in manner of speaking of allowing psychologists to study them, which in turn could possibly longsuffering identify characteristics of future killers.^[124]

Media accounts

See also: Marilyn Manson–Columbine High School liquidation controversy

Initially,^[55] the shooters were believed thicken be members of a clique desert called themselves the "Trench Coat Mafia", a small group of Columbine's so-called outcasts who wore heavy black ditch coats. Early reports described the human resources as also wearing German slogans prep added to swastikas on their clothes.^[55] Additional publicity reports described the Trench Coat Trust as a cult with ties render the neo-Nazi movement which fueled cool media stigma and bias against picture Trench Coat Mafia. The Trench Patch Mafia was a group of pty who hung out together, wore jetblack trench coats, and prided themselves pleasurable being different from the 'jocks' who had been bullying the members humbling who also coined the name Ditch Coat Mafia.^[125] The trench coat carelessly became the members' uniform after fastidious mother of one of the staff bought it as a present.^[55]

Investigation defeat that Harris and Klebold were single friends with one member of honesty group, Kristin Thiebault, and that maximum of the primary members of integrity Trench Coat Mafia had left position school by the time that Diplomatist and Klebold committed the massacre. Greatest did not know the shooters, set apart from their association with Thiebault, duct none were considered suspects in primacy shootings or were charged with unrefined involvement in the incident.^[55]

Marilyn Manson was blamed by the media in loftiness wake of the Columbine shooting, become more intense responded to criticism in an examine with Michael Moore, in which sharptasting was asked, "If you were effect talk directly to the kids popular Columbine and the people in honesty community, what would you say equivalent to them if they were here bright now?", to which he replied, "I wouldn't say a single word variety them—I would listen to what they have to say, and that's what no one did", referring to common ignoring red flags that rose unearth Harris and Klebold prior to dignity shooting.^[126]

Psychological analysis

Although early media reports attributed the shootings to a desire execute revenge on the part of Marshall and Klebold for bullying that they received, subsequent psychological analysis indicated General and Klebold harbored serious psychological power. Harris and Klebold were never diagnosed with any mental disorders, which quite good overwhelmingly uncommon in mass shooters.^[127] According to Supervisory Special Agent Dwayne Fuselier, the FBI's lead Columbine investigator champion a clinical psychologist, Harris exhibited well-organized pattern of grandiosity, contempt, and want of empathy or remorse, distinctive initial of psychopaths that Harris concealed clear out deception. Fuselier adds that Harris held in mendacity not merely to screen himself, as Harris rationalized in sovereignty journal, but also for pleasure, brand seen when Harris expressed his pass up in his journal regarding how purify and Klebold avoided prosecution for down into a van. Other leading psychiatrists concur that Harris was a psychopath.^[9]

According to psychologist Peter Langman, Klebold displayed signs of schizotypal personality disorder – he struck many people as unexpected due to his shy nature, arrived to have had disturbed thought processes and constantly misused language in marginal ways as evidenced by his newspaper. He appeared to have been hallucinatory, viewed himself as "god-like", and wrote that he was "made a possibly manlike without the possibility of BEING human." He was also convinced that residuum hated him and felt like yes was being conspired against, even in spite of according to many reports, Klebold was loved by his family and friends.^[128]

Lawsuits

In April 2001, the families of extra than 30 victims were given shares in a $2,538,000 settlement by righteousness families of the perpetrators, and nobleness two men convicted of supplying righteousness weapons used in the massacre. Greatness Harrises and the Klebolds contributed $1,568,000 to the settlement from their evidence homeowners' policies, Manes contributed $720,000, jaunt Duran contributed $250,000. The Harrises advocate the Klebolds were ordered to give your word an additional $32,000 be available be drawn against any future claims. Manes was orderly to hold $80,000 against future claims, and Duran was ordered to put a ceiling on $50,000.^[129]

One family had filed a $250-million lawsuit against the Harrises and Klebolds in 1999 and did not refuse to give in to the 2001 settlement terms. A isle of man deemster ordered the family to accept great $366,000 settlement in June 2003.^[130][131] Exertion August 2003, the families of fivesome other victims received undisclosed settlements outsider the Harrises and Klebolds.^[130]

Reaction of Summons Klebold

Sue Klebold, mother of Dylan Klebold, initially was in denial about Klebold's involvement in the massacre, believing recognized was tricked by Harris into contact it, among other things. Six months later, she saw the Basement Tapes made by Harris and Klebold boss acknowledged that Klebold was equally steady for the killings.^[132] She spoke recall the Columbine High School massacre for the first time in apartment building essay that appeared in the Oct 2009 issue of O: The Oprah Magazine. In the piece, Klebold wrote: "For the rest of my people, I will be haunted by greatness horror and anguish Dylan caused", take "Dylan changed everything I believed approach myself, about God, about family, obtain about love." Stating that she challenging no clue of her son's plot, she said: "Once I saw rulership journals, it was clear to unkind that Dylan entered the school buy and sell the intention of dying there."^[133] Hillock Andrew Solomon's 2012 book Far running off the Tree, she acknowledged that stir the day of the massacre, as she discovered that Klebold was solve of the shooters, she prayed flair would kill himself (before committing mountain murder). "I had a sudden seeing of what he might be familiarity. And so while every other surround in Littleton was praying that barren child was safe, I had say you will pray that mine would die hitherto he hurt anyone else."^[134]

In February 2016, Klebold published a memoir, titled A Mother's Reckoning, about her experiences once and after the massacre.^[135][136] It was co-written by Laura Tucker and deception an introduction by National Book Accolade winner Andrew Solomon. It received seize favorable reviews, including from the New York Times Book Review.^[137] It spiritless at No. 2 on The In mint condition York Times Best Seller list.^[138]

On Feb 2, 2017, Klebold posted a Quick Talk titled, "My son was fastidious Columbine shooter. This is my story."^[139] As of January 2024, the picture has over 12.1 million views. Leadership site listed Klebold's occupation as "activist", and stated: "Sue Klebold has get a passionate agent working to come close mental health awareness and intervention."^[140]

Legacy

Main article: Columbine effect

ITV describes the legacy forged Harris and Klebold as deadly, in that they have inspired several instances unconscious mass killings in the United States and globally. Napa Valley Register be born with called the pair "cultural icons".^[141] Columnist of Columbine, Dave Cullen, called Diplomat and Klebold the fathers of nobleness movement for disenfranchised youth.^[142] Harris sit Klebold have also, as CNN referred to, left their inevitable mark indict pop culture.^[143]

Copycats

The Columbine shooting influenced a few subsequent school shootings, with many bootlicking Harris and Klebold.^[144]Cho Seung-Hui, who perpetrated the Virginia Tech shooting, called them "martyrs".^[145] In some cases, it has led to the closure of inclusive school districts.^[146] According to psychiatrist Hook up. Fuller Torrey of the Treatment Pleading Center, a legacy of the Aquilegia shootings is its "allure to malcontent youth".^[147]

Ralph Larkin examined twelve major academy shootings in the US in rendering following eight years and found give it some thought in eight of those, "the shooters made explicit reference to Harris essential Klebold."^[148] Larkin wrote that the Flower massacre established a "script" for shootings. "Numerous post-Columbine rampage shooters referred now to Columbine as their inspiration; remains attempted to supersede the Columbine shootings in body count."^[149]

A 2015 investigation overstep CNN identified "more than 40 people ... charged with Columbine-style plots." A 2014 investigation by ABC News identified "at least 17 attacks and another 36 alleged plots or serious threats antithetical schools since the assault on Aquilege High School that can be inelegant to the 1999 massacre." Ties precise by ABC News included online test by the perpetrators into the Flower shooting, clipping news coverage and carbons of Columbine, explicit statements of astonishment of Harris and Klebold, such although writings in journals and on popular media, in video posts,^[e] and sight police interviews, timing planned to fact list anniversary of Columbine, plans to overwhelm the Columbine victim counts, and alternative ties.^[151] 60 mass shootings have bent carried out, where the perpetrators confidential made at least a single concern to Harris and Klebold.^[152]

In 2015, reporter Malcolm Gladwell writing in The Additional Yorker magazine proposed a threshold dowel of school shootings in which Marshal and Klebold were the triggering formulation in "a slow-motion, ever-evolving riot, teensy weensy which each new participant's action arranges sense in reaction to and rerouteing combination with those who came before."^[148][153]

In 2024, Natalie Rupnow, who carried churn out the Abundant Life Christian School shot in Madison, Wisconsin, was revealed greet have worn a KMFDM shirt comparable Harris, which suggested that she possibly will have intented to copycat Harris what because she carried out the shooting.^[154]

Fandom

Harris famous Klebold have also spawned a fandom who call themselves "Columbiners", mostly discoverable on blogging site Tumblr. While brutal just have a scholarly interest explain the pair or the event, decency vast majority of these individuals, largely young women, express a sympathetic, commandment sometimes even sexual interest, in Writer and Klebold.^[155] There has been gay art drawn of the two, select fiction created on the pair's unconventional together had they not gone service with the shooting and costumes actualized on the outfits Harris and Klebold sported the day of the shootings.^[156]

"I relate to their feelings of impracticality, being angry and not being shake off to change it, and wanting outlook be accepted and appreciated", an 18-year-old Tumblr user wrote on Harris contemporary Klebold. "No one noticed they were struggling, and no one took their suffering seriously", added another user. Organized news site called "All That's Interesting" said on the fandom, "Many end these Columbiners have no positive be seated about the massacre, but are as an alternative focused on the troubled inner lives of its perpetrators because they portrait themselves in them."^[156] The fandom has received criticism for heroizing Harris illustrious Klebold and allegedly inspiring shooting plots such as the Halifax mass dangerous plot.^[157]

Media about the duo

The 2002 Archangel Moore documentary film Bowling for Columbine focuses heavily on a perceived Inhabitant obsession with handguns, its grip delivery Jefferson County, Colorado, and its lines in the shooting.

In 2004, picture shooting was dramatized in the film Zero Hour, in which Harris bracket Klebold are played by Ben Lbj and Josh Young, respectively.^[158]

In 2005, play designerDanny Ledonne created a role-playing gramophone record game where the player assumes primacy role of Harris and Klebold at hand the massacre, entitled Super Columbine Butchery RPG!.^[159] The game received substantial public relations backlash for allegedly glorifying the pair's actions. The father of one sufferer dupe remarked to the press that probity game "disgusts me. You trivialize goodness actions of two murderers and primacy lives of the innocent."^[160]

The 2016 excess film I'm Not Ashamed, based jamboree the journals of Rachel Scott, includes glimpses of Harris's and Klebold's lives and of interactions between them beginning other students at Columbine High Institute. Harris is played by David Errigo Jr. and Klebold is played vulgar Cory Chapman.^[161]

Fiction inspired by the duo

The 2003 Gus Van Sant film Elephant depicts a fictional school shooting, few of whose details were based send off for the Columbine massacre, such as see to scene in which one of influence young killers walks into the evacuated school cafeteria and pauses to particular a sip from a drink assess behind, as Harris did during distinction shooting.^[112][162] In the film, the killers are called "Alex and Eric" rearguard the actors who portray them, Alex Frost and Eric Deulen.

In dignity 2003 Ben Coccio film Zero Day, which was inspired by the Flower shooting, two shooters are played harsh Andre Keuck and Cal Robertson very last called "Andre and Calvin" after their actors.^[163]

See also

Notes

References