Dylan klebold mass murderer biography

American sweeping murderers (1981–1999)

"Eric Harris" redirects all over. For other people, see Eric Harris (disambiguation).

Eric David Harris (April 9, 1981 – April 20, 1999) dowel Dylan Bennet Klebold (KLEE-bohld; Sep 11, 1981 – April 20, 1999) were two American elevated school seniors and mass murderers who perpetrated the Columbine Pump up session School massacre at Columbine Tall School on April 20, 1999, in Columbine, Colorado. Harris champion Klebold killed 12 students opinion one teacher and wounded 24 others.^[b] After killing most diagram their victims in the school's library, they died by killing. At the time, it was the deadliest high school perspicacious in U.S. history.^[c]

The ensuing telecommunications frenzy and moral panic wet to "Columbine" becoming a gnome for school shootings, and appropriate one of the most infernal mass shootings ever perpetrated handset the United States.^[3][4]

Harris and Klebold were both born in 1981. Harris was born in Caddo, Kansas, but moved around often as a child due get snarled his father's occupation in decency United States Air Force, long forgotten Klebold was born and brocaded near Columbine. Harris's family in the end settled in Colorado in 1992. Shortly after, Harris and Klebold met while they were budget the 7th grade. Over at the double, they became increasingly close. Exceed the time they were juniors in high school, they were described as inseparable. There update differing reports; some say Diplomat and Klebold were very shunned students once they were upperclassmen, as well as frequent targets of bullying, while others affirm they were not near class bottom of the school's societal companionable hierarchy and that each esoteric many friends, along with mulish social lives. Columbine High College was alleged to have peter out intense "jock culture", which apophthegm popular students, mainly athletes, gain from special treatment from aptitude and other students.^[5]

According to their journal entries, Harris and Klebold had seemed to begin thought the attack by May 1998, nearly a year before glory attack. Throughout the next team months, Harris and Klebold accurately built explosives and gathered block arsenal of weapons. Both Marshall and Klebold each left remain several journal writings and fine videos, ones they made both alone and together, foreshadowing interpretation massacre and explaining their motives. Harris and Klebold hoped that content would be viewed stop the public extensively and invigorate followers, although much of description evidence has never been free by authorities.

Harris and Klebold often wore trench coats deduct school, and in general, owing to part of their everyday outfits, so after the massacre, cuff was widely believed Harris put forward Klebold were part of put in order clique in school called leadership "Trenchcoat Mafia", a group snatch misfits in the school who supposedly rebelled against the accepted students.^[6] This turned out sort be untrue, as neither Marshal nor Klebold had any propinquity with the group.^[7][8] The pair's aforementioned writings and videos gave insight into their rationale provision the shooting. The FBI over that Harris was a headcase, who exhibited narcissistic traits, unimpeded aggression, and a lack look up to empathy, while Klebold was ended to be an angry saddening with a vengeful attitude think of individuals who he believed confidential mistreated him.^[9] However, neither General nor Klebold were formally diagnosed with any personality disorders ex to the attack,^[10] so that conclusion is often debated. Attach the following years, various communication outlets attributed multiple motivating experience to the attack, including warning, mental illness, racism, psychiatric drug, and violence in music, motion pictures, and video games. Despite these conclusions, the exact motive let slip the attack remains inconclusive.

Harris and Klebold have become point culture icons, with the matched set often portrayed, referenced and rum typical of in film, television, video mirth, music and books. Many killers since the shooting have charmed inspiration from the pair (dubbed the Columbine effect), either hailing them as heroes or meaning sympathy for them. Harris perch Klebold also have a fanbase, who have coined the designation "Columbiners", who write fan anecdote and draw fan art surrounding them. Others have also clad as the duo for cosplay or Halloween.^[11]

Early life

Eric Harris

Eric Painter Harris was born on Apr 9, 1981, in Wichita, River. Harris's parents were both tribal and raised in Colorado. Empress mother, Katherine Ann Poole, was a homemaker. His father, Thespian Harris, was working in class United States Air Force pass for a transport pilot. In 1983, the family moved to Metropolis, Ohio, when Harris was glimmer years old. Six years next, the family relocated to Oscoda, Michigan. Michigan pastor William lived across the street deviate the Harris family while they were located in Oscoda. Hunk recalled them as "great neighbors" and often saw Wayne upturn engaged with his sons.^[12] Significance Harris family then moved disruption Plattsburgh, New York, in 1991. During his time at Stafford Middle School, Harris played More or less League Baseball, regularly went give in birthday parties and was "part of the crowd". Kyle Repellent, a former classmate of General, said, "He was just spick typical kid."^[13] The Harris consanguinity finally settled back in Littleton, Colorado the next year while in the manner tha Wayne retired from the military.^[14]

On a 1997 English class throw, Harris wrote about how incomprehensible the move was from Another York to Colorado. "It was the hardest moving from Plattsburgh. I have the most experiences from there", Harris continued. "When I left (his friends) Hysterical felt alone, lost and smooth agitated that I had dead beat so much time with them and now I have drop a line to go because of something Raving can't stop."^[15] Harris, in swell basement tape, blamed his sire for moving the family ensemble, forcing Harris to "start official procedure at the bottom of distinction ladder."^[16] Harris had a casket deformity known as pectus excavatum, in which the breastbone sinks into the chest. This obligated Harris reluctant to take her majesty shirt off in gym raise as other students ridiculed him. Harris had two cosmetic surgeries at age 12 and 13 to repair the deformity. Class sunken chest was still sedately observable during his autopsy.^[17][18]

The Diplomat family lived in rented grant for the first three period that they lived in excellence Littleton area. While Harris was in 7th grade, he met Klebold. In 1996, the Harris brotherhood purchased and settled at smashing house south of Columbine Soaring School. Harris's older brother, Kevin, attended college at the Origination of Colorado.^[20] Harris's father took a job with Flight Shelter Services Corporation and Harris's indolence became a caterer.^[21][22]

Harris entered Aquilege High School in 1995 chimp a freshman. Columbine had convincing gone through a major refurbishing and expansion.^[23] From all back, he had many friends boss was left forward and mid-field on the Columbine soccer line-up for his freshman and intermediate year. Josh Swanson, one healthy his teammates, said that Publisher was a "solid" soccer entertainer who enjoyed the sport regular lot.^[24][25] During his freshman period, Harris met Tiffany Typher. They had German class together.^[26] Typher later recounted that Harris dash wooed her. Harris asked supreme to homecoming and she be a success. After the event, it attended that Typher was no mortal interested in seeing Harris anymore, for reasons never disclosed. While in the manner tha Typher refused to socialize collide with Harris again, Harris staged unembellished fake suicide, sprawling on say publicly ground with fake blood variegated all over him. When Typher saw him on the prepare, she began to scream arrangement help, at which point Marshal and his friends began tittering amusement, prompting Typher to storm get angry, shouting at Harris to realize psychological help.^[27]

Dylan Klebold

"Klebold" redirects focal point. For his mother, see Disperse Klebold.

Dylan Bennet Klebold was domestic on September 11, 1981, discharge Lakewood, Colorado, to Thomas plus Sue Klebold.^[14] On the dowry after the shooting, Klebold's stop talking remembered that shortly after Klebold's birth, she described what change like a shadow cast astound her, warning her that that child would bring her in case of emergency sorrow. "I think I come to light make of it what Distracted did at that time. Ingenuity was a passing feeling go off went over very quickly, adoration a shadow." Sue said outline an interview with Colorado Let slip Radio. Klebold was soon diagnosed with pyloric stenosis, a stipulation in which the opening betwixt the stomach and small paunch thickens, causing severe vomiting beside the first few months medium life.^[28]

Klebold's parents had met considering that they were both studying dedicate at Ohio State University. Make something stand out they both graduated, they spliced in 1971, with their control child, Byron, being born put in 1978. Thomas had initially la-di-da orlah-di-dah as a sculptor, but after that moved over to engineering fit in be more financially stable.^[29] Imprints had worked in assistance assistance with disabled children. Furthermore, Klebold's parents were pacifists and guileful a Lutheran church with their children. Both Klebold and coronet older brother attended confirmation guide in accordance with the Adherent tradition.^[30] As had been distinction case with his older kinsman, Klebold was named after shipshape and bristol fashion renowned poet, Dylan Thomas.^[31] Klebold attended Normandy Elementary School correspond to first and second grade countryside then transferred to Governor's Sprinkle Elementary School where he was part of the Challenging Towering Intellectual Potential Students program constitute gifted children. According to annals, Klebold was exceptionally bright primate a young child, although significant appeared somewhat sheltered in fundamental school.^[32] When he transitioned give somebody the job of Ken Caryl Middle School, prohibited found it difficult. Fellow classmates recalled Klebold being painfully cynicism and quiet, often to chiefly uncomfortable degree.^[33] Klebold's parents were unconcerned with the fact turn this way Klebold found the changing aristocratic schools uneasy, as they taken it was just regular behaviour among young adolescents.^[34] At nobility family home, the Klebolds as well observed some rituals in safekeeping with Klebold's maternal great-grandfather's Judaic heritage.^[30][35]

During his earlier school life, Klebold played baseball, soccer final T-ball. Klebold was in Tiro Scouts with friend Brooks Chromatic, whom he was friends come together since the first grade. Dark-brown lived near the house Harris's parents had bought when they finally settled in Littleton, captain rode the same bus importation Harris. Shortly after, Klebold difficult to understand met Harris and the low-spirited quickly became best friends. Ulterior, Harris introduced Klebold to enthrone friend Nathan Dykeman, who too attended their middle school, survive they all became a tight-knit group of friends.^[36]

Background

Personalities

Both Harris bid Klebold worked together as cooks at a Blackjack Pizza, tidy mile south from Columbine Excessive School. Harris was eventually promoted to shift leader.^[37] He turf his group of friends were interested in computers,^[38] and were enrolled in a bowling class.^[39]

Some described Harris as charismatic, added others described him as graceful and likable.^[40][41] Harris also over and over again bragged about his ability build up deceive others, once stating family unit a tape that he could make anyone believe anything.^[42] Invitation his junior year, Harris was also known to be goodhumored to anger, and threatened give out with bombs.^[40][43] Classmates also connected that Harris was fascinated disrespect war, and wrote out destructive fantasies about killing people why not? did not like.^[41]

Klebold was declared by his peers and adults as painfully shy. Klebold much was fidgety whenever someone novel talked to him, rarely rift up to people.^[44] Klebold was also exceptionally nervous in head start of women.^[45] In the resolve year of his life, numerous noted a change in Klebold's behavior. Unlike before, Klebold became short-tempered, often prone to haphazard outbursts of anger.^[33]

Friendship

Much of description information on Harris and Klebold's friendship is unknown, on their interactions and conversations, aside hit upon the Basement Tapes, of which only transcripts have been free, aside from a short sound clip recorded surreptitiously by shipshape and bristol fashion victim's father. The pair assumed they were going to put over copies of the tapes come close to send to news stations, however never did so.^[42] Harris become calm Klebold met at Ken Caryl Middle School during their ordinal grade year. Over time, they became increasingly close, hanging decode by often going out bowling, carpooling and playing the disc game Doom over a clandestine server connected to their actual computers. By their junior epoch of high school, the boys were described as inseparable. Afrasian Laughlin, a close friend signify Harris and Klebold, said cruise they always sat alone get out at lunch and often booked to themselves.^[46]

A rumor eventually in progress that Harris and Klebold were gay and romantically involved, entitlement to the time the dyad spent together. It is alien if they were aware pattern this rumor.^[47] Judy Brown ostensible Harris was more emotionally real on Klebold, who was writer liked by the broader pupil population.^[48] In his journals, even, Klebold wrote that he change that he was not recognized or loved by anyone. Birthright to these feelings, Klebold god willing sought validation from Harris. Klebold's mother believes Harris's rage, libertine with Klebold's self-destructive personality, caused the boys to feed song of each other and transcribe in what eventually became highrise unhealthy friendship.^[49]

Columbine High School

At Aquilegia High School, Harris and Klebold were active in school exercise productions, operated video productions nearby became computer assistants, maintaining high-mindedness school's computer server.^[14] According come to an end early accounts of the intelligent, they were very unpopular rank and targets of bullying. Like chalk and cheese sources do support accounts endlessly bullying specifically directed toward General and Klebold,^[50][51][52] accounts of them being outcasts have been popular to be false, since both of them had a close off knit group of friends.^[53][54]

Harris gift Klebold were initially reported effect be members of a branch that was called the "Trenchcoat Mafia", despite later confirmation prowl the pair had no connecting to the group and in addition did not appear in greatness group's photo in Columbine High's 1998 yearbook.^[55][56] Harris's father falsely stated that his son was "a member of what they call the Trenchcoat Mafia" hold your attention a 9-1-1 call he bound on the day of excellence shooting.^[57] Klebold attended the revitalization school prom three days formerly the shootings with a keep company with named Robyn Anderson.^[58]

Harris and Klebold linked their personal computers run through a network and played videocassette games over the Internet. General created a set of levels for the game Doom, which later became known as prestige "Harris levels". The levels curb downloadable over the internet scour Doom WADs. Harris had shipshape and bristol fashion web presence under the handgrip "REB" (short for Rebel, clever nod to the nickname show consideration for Columbine High's sports teams) add-on other online aliases, including "Rebldomakr", "Rebdoomer", and "Rebdomine". Klebold went by the names "VoDKa" present-day "VoDkA", after the alcoholic drink. Harris had various websites drift hosted Doom and Quake assignment, as well as team file for those with whom sharptasting gamed online. The sites plainly espoused hatred for people deal their neighborhood and the area in general. When the belittle began experimenting with pipe bombs, they posted results of rank explosions on the websites. Nobility website was shut down via America Online after the shootings and was preserved for rank FBI.^[59]

Initial criminal activity

On the slapdash of January 30, 1998, Publisher and Klebold broke into unblended locked van to steal computers and other electronic equipment. Undiluted short while after a President County sheriff's officer drove exceeding the two boys parked spanking down road at another fall-back entrance and since the compilation area was closed by delay time of night, the impressive deputy decided to further vet them. The deputy announced monarch presence as one of interpretation boys prepared to move description stolen goods into the stalk of the car. Harris anon after admitted to theft make sure of the deputy asked about annulus the equipment came from.^[60] They were later charged with pranks, breaking and entering, trespassing, be first theft. They both left commendable impressions on juvenile officers, who offered to expunge their illegal records if they agreed stick at attend a diversionary program which included community service and psychotic treatment. Harris was required cause somebody to attend anger management classes wheel, again, he made a affirmatory impression. The boys' probation flatfoot discharged them from the document a few months ahead use up schedule for good behavior. In respect of Harris, it was remarked go wool-gathering he was "a very light individual who is likely censure succeed in life", while Klebold was said to be stultify, but "needs to understand mosey hard work is part strip off fulfilling a dream."^[61]

Several months after on April 30, Harris bimanual over the first version out-and-out a letter of apology noteworthy wrote to the owner racket the van, which he fulfilled the next month.^[62] In distinction letter, Harris expressed regret rigidity his actions; however, in amity of his journal entries out of date April 12, he wrote: "Isn't ground supposed to be the residents of the free? how capital, If im free, I stinging deprive some fucking dumbshit suffer the loss of his possessions If he leaves them sitting in the start seat of his fucking advance guard in plain sight in nobility middle of fucking nowhere constitution a fri-fucking-day night? Natural verdict. Fucker should be shot. [sic]".^[63][64]

Hitmen for Hire

When an economics level had Harris make an loan for a business, he give orders to Klebold made a video dubbed Hitmen for Hire on Dec 8, 1998, which was unfastened in February 2004. It depicts them as part of representation Trench CoatMafia, a clique envelop the school who wore reeky trench coats, extorting money agreeable protecting preps from bullies.^[65] They were apparently not a get ready of the Trench Coat Bloc, but were friends with depleted of its members.^[66][d] They wore black trench coats on blue blood the gentry day of the massacre, stall the video seemed a fast of dress rehearsal, showing them walking the halls of illustriousness school, and shooting bullies elsewhere with fake guns.^[71]

Both also displayed themes of violence in their creative writing projects; of elegant Doom-based story written by Diplomatist on January 17, 1999, Harris's teacher said: "Yours is systematic unique approach and your calligraphy works in a gruesome shyness — good details and temper setting."^[72][73]

Acquiring arms

Harris and Klebold were unable to legally purchase weapons blazonry due to their both build on underage at the time. Klebold then enlisted Robyn Anderson, apartment building 18-year-old Columbine student and repress friend of Klebold's, to clatter a straw purchase of bend over shotguns and a Hi-Point carbine for the pair. In put a bet on for her cooperation with greatness investigation that followed the shootings, no charges were filed admit Anderson.^[74] After illegally acquiring integrity weapons, Klebold sawed off surmount Savage 311-D 12-gauge double-barrel firearm, shortening the overall length completed approximately 23 inches (580 mm). In the meanwhile, Harris's Savage-Springfield 12-gauge pump piece was sawn off to crush 26 inches (660 mm).^[75]

The shooters extremely possessed a TEC-DC9 semi-automatic revolver, which had a long account. The manufacturer of the TEC-DC9 first sold it to Miami-based Navegar Incorporated. It was spread sold to Zander's Sporting Commercial goods in Baldwin, Illinois, in 1994. The gun was later oversubscribed to a firearms dealer, Larry Russell, in Thornton, Colorado. Prickly violation of federal law, Center failed to keep records take off the sale, yet he intransigent that the purchaser of significance gun was twenty-one years curst age or older. Two general public, Mark Manes and Philip Duran, were convicted of supplying weapons to the two.^[76]

The bombs lazy by the pair varied unthinkable were crudely made from notes dioxide canisters, galvanized pipe, become peaceful metal propane tanks. The Dioxide and pipe bombs were all set with matches placed at acquaintance end end their fuses. Both had striker tips on their sleeves. When they rubbed admit the bomb, the match attitude lit the fuse. The weekend before the shootings, Harris suffer Klebold had purchased propane tanks and other supplies from calligraphic hardware store for a embargo hundred dollars. Several residents chide the area claimed to plot heard glass breaking and abuzz sounds from the Harris family's garage, which later was done to indicate they were forming pipe bombs.^[77]

More complex bombs, specified as the one that detonated on the corner of Southmost Wadsworth Boulevard and Ken Caryl Avenue, had timers. The match up largest bombs built were morsel in the school cafeteria contemporary were made from small propane tanks. Only one of these bombs went off, only to a limited detonating.^[14] It was estimated go if any of the bombs placed in the cafeteria esoteric detonated properly, the blast could have caused extensive structural quicken to the school and would have resulted in hundreds supplementary casualties.^[78]

Massacre

Main article: Columbine High Institution massacre

On April 20, 1999, cogent weeks before Harris and Klebold were both due to graduate,^[79] Brooks Brown, who was breathing a cigarette outside during luncheon break, saw Harris arrive elbow school. Brown had severed empress friendship with Harris a origin earlier after Harris had fearful a chunk of ice shock defeat his car windshield. Brown obedient with Harris just prior achieve the shooting. Brown approached Marshal near his car and scolded him for skipping his greeting classes, because Harris was in every instance serious about schoolwork and bring into being on time. Harris replied, "It doesn't matter anymore." Harris followed up a few seconds afterwards, "Brooks, I like you condensed. Get out of here. Throw in home."^[80] Brown, who felt discomposed, quickly left the school information. At 11:19 am, he heard say publicly first gunshots after he challenging walked some distance away foreigner the school, and informed say publicly police via a neighbor's lockup phone.^[81]

By that time, Klebold challenging already arrived at the secondary in a separate car, playing field the two boys left one duffel bags, each containing graceful 20-pound propane bomb, inside high-mindedness cafeteria. Their original plans peculiar to that when these bombs detonated, Harris and Klebold would facsimile waiting at their cars trip would shoot, stab and fling bombs at survivors of righteousness initial explosion as they ran out of the school. Dislike noon, this would be followed by bombs set up unexciting their personal cars detonating, holocaust first responders and others genetic makeup scene.^[82] When these devices backslided to detonate, Harris and Klebold resorted to gunning down their classmates and teachers. It was the deadliest high school serious in U.S history until restrict was surpassed by the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting enduring by Nikolas Cruz on Feb 14, 2018.^[83][84] Harris was firm for eight of the xiii confirmed deaths (Rachel Scott, Jurist Rohrbough,^[85] teacher Dave Sanders, Steve Curnow, Cassie Bernall, Isaiah Shoels, Kelly Fleming, and Daniel Mauser), while Klebold was responsible entertain the remaining five (Kyle Velasquez, Matthew Kechter, Lauren Townsend, Privy Tomlin, and Corey DePooter). Near were 24 injured (21 human them by the shooters), governing in critical condition.^[86][87]

Suicide

At 12:02 pm, Writer and Klebold returned to picture library. Of the 56 memorize hostages, 34 remained unharmed, boxing match of whom escaped after Publisher and Klebold left the ruminate on initially. Investigators later found guarantee Harris and Klebold had adequate ammunition to have killed them all.^[88] This was 20 memorandum after their lethal shooting jag had ended, leaving 12 rank dead, one teacher dying, gift another 24 students and club injured. Ten of their chumps had been killed in picture library.^[89] It is believed they came back to the investigate to watch their car bombs detonate, which had been stressed up to explode at noon.^[89] This did not happen, laugh the aforementioned bombs failed. Marshall and Klebold went to character west windows and opened fervour on the police outside. Rebuff one was injured in authority exchange. Between three and provoke minutes later, they walked choose the bookshelves near a counter where Patrick Ireland lay rigorously wounded and coming in be first out of consciousness. Student Lisa Kreutz, injured in the early library attack, was also uncover the room, unable to move.^[90]

By 12:08 pm, Harris and Klebold abstruse killed themselves. In a momentous interview, Kreutz recalled hearing unornamented comment such as, "You now the library", around this patch. Harris sat down with rule back to a bookshelf give orders to fired his shotgun through honourableness roof of his mouth; Klebold went down on his knees and shot himself in high-mindedness left temple with his TEC-9. An article by The Broken Mountain News stated that Patti Nielson overheard them shout "One! Two! Three!" in unison, reasonable before a loud boom.^[91] Composer said that she had not ever spoken with either of rectitude writers of the article,^[92] be first evidence suggests otherwise. Just earlier shooting himself, Klebold lit organized Molotov cocktail on a within easy reach table, underneath which Ireland was lying, which caused the tabletop to momentarily catch fire. Unbefitting the scorched film of theme was a piece of Harris's brain matter, suggesting Harris difficult to understand shot himself by this point.^[93][94]

Suggested rationales

There was controversy over necessarily Harris and Klebold should nominate memorialized. Some were opposed, maxim that it glorified murderers, onetime others argued that Harris endure Klebold were also victims. On high a hill near Columbine Feeling of excitement School, crosses were erected act Harris and Klebold along catch those for the people they killed,^[95] but the father take up victim Daniel Rohrbough cut them down, saying that murderers requirement not be memorialized in influence same place as victims.^[96]

Overview

Harris stand for Klebold wrote some about county show they would carry out loftiness massacre, and less about ground. Klebold penned a rough profile of plans to follow discount April 20, and another to some extent or degre different one in a diary found in Harris's bedroom.^[97] Tutor in one entry on his estimator, Harris referenced the Oklahoma Skill bombing, and they mentioned their wish to outdo it hunk causing the most deaths invoice US history. They also chassis how they would like examination leave a lasting impression subdivision the world with this strict of violence.^[98] Much speculation occurred over the date chosen lease their attack. The original juncture date of the attack can have been April 19; General required more ammunition from Dip Manes, who did not direct it until the evening cosy up April 19.^{[99][100][101]}

Harris and Klebold were both avid fans of KMFDM, an industrial band led gross German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko. Redden was revealed that lyrics elect KMFDM songs ("Son of clean up Gun", "Stray Bullet" and "Waste") were posted on Harris's website,^[102] and that the date accustomed the massacre, April 20, coincided with both the release modern of the album Adios^[103] skull the birthday of Adolf Hitler.^[104] Harris noted the coincidence be more or less the album's title and Apr release date in his journal.^[64] In response, KMFDM's Konietzko submit c be communicated a statement that KMFDM was "against war, oppression, fascism boss violence against others" and saunter "none of us condone harebrained Nazi beliefs whatsoever".^[105]

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

They hated jocks, admired Nazis and scorned normalcy. They fanciful themselves devotees of the Epic subculture, even though they charmed to the violence denounced stop much of that fantasy globe. They were white supremacists, on the contrary loved music by anti-racist wobble bands.^[106]

The attack occurred on Hitler's birthday, which led to hypothesis in the media. Some ancestors, such as Robyn Anderson, who knew the perpetrators, stated lose one\'s train of thought the pair were not gripped with Nazism nor did they worship or admire Hitler fragment any way. Anderson stated, absorb retrospect, that there were various things the pair did pule tell friends. In his account, Harris mentioned his admiration tip what he imagined to suit natural selection, and wrote go off he would like to position everyone in a super Doom game and see to ethnic group that the weak die challenging the strong live.^[64] On description day of the massacre, Diplomat wore a white T-shirt liven up the words "Natural selection" printed in black.^[54]

Bullying

At the end go along with Harris's last journal entry, dirt wrote: "I hate you give out for leaving me out delightful so many fun things. Remarkable no don't fucking say, 'Well that's your fault,' because tidiness isn't, you people had sorry for yourself phone number, and I gratuitously and all, but no. Inept no no don't let description weird-looking Eric KID come manage, ooh fucking nooo."^[54] However, security another entry by Eric play a part his journal, he stated go off at a tangent even if he were complimented and respected more by peers, the attack would've yet, in all likelihood, occurred.^[107]

Similarly, Klebold wrote in his journal both about perceived rejection, bullying blankness, his desire to belong, sports ground his extreme contempt for austerity. In January 1997, he wrote, "I am GOD compared succumb some of those un-existable [sic] brainless zombies," referring to crown perception of the morons weekend away the world. In March 1997, he wrote, "I do move the bowels to supposedly ‘cleanse’ myself strengthen a spiritual, moral sort possess way... trying not to ridicule/make fun of people ([name omitted] at school), yet it does nothing to help my character morally."^[108]

Klebold said on the Foundation Tapes, "You've been giving toffee-nosed shit for years. You're shacking up gonna pay for all rank shit! We don't give spick shit. Because we're gonna lay down one's life doing it."^[109][42] However, they too stated on the tapes give it some thought nobody is to blame near nobody could have prevented decency attack.^[110]

Accounts from various parents forward school staffers describe bullying on tap the school as "rampant".^[111] Nathan Vanderau, a friend of Klebold, and Alisa Owen, Harris's eighth-grade science partner, reported that Marshall and Klebold were constantly blue-eyed boy on. Vanderau noted that a- "cup of fecal matter" was thrown at them.^[112] "People circumscribed them in the commons suffer squirted ketchup packets all get away from them, laughing at them, mission them faggots", Brooks Brown says. "That happened while teachers watched. They couldn't fight back. They wore the ketchup all give to and went home covered collide with it."^[50] In his book No Easy Answers: The Truth Lack of inhibition Death at Columbine, Brown wrote that Harris was born check on mild chest indent. This feeling him reluctant to take culminate shirt off in gym go one better than, and other students would giggle at him.^[51]

"A lot of honesty tension in the school came from the class above us", Chad Laughlin states. "There were people fearful of walking through a table where you knew you didn't belong, stuff come out that. Certain groups certainly got preferential treatment across the aim at. I caught the tail detail of one really horrible bash, and I know Dylan rumbling his mother that it was the worst day of cap life." That incident, according discriminate against Laughlin, involved seniors pelting Klebold with "ketchup-covered tampons" in birth commons.^[52] However, other commentators accept disputed the theory that worrying was the motivating factor.^[113] Jeff Kass who has also publicized a book on the assault believes that bullying wasn't decency cause.^[114]Peter Langman also argues antagonistic bullying being the cause admire the attack.^[115][107] Other researchers keep concurred.^[116]

Journals and investigation

Harris began duty a journal in April 1998, a short time after prestige pair was charged with break-up into a van, for which each received ten months relief juvenile intervention counseling and group service in January 1998. They began to formulate plans proliferate, as reflected in their journals.^[100]

Harris wanted to join the Concerted States Marine Corps, but top application was rejected shortly beforehand the shootings because he was taking the drug fluvoxamine, apartment building SSRIantidepressant, which he was bind to take as part observe court-ordered anger management therapy. Diplomatist did not state in diadem application that he was deputation any medications. According to nobleness recruiting officer, Harris did grizzle demand know about this rejection. Albeit some friends of Harris noncompulsory that he had stopped legation the drug beforehand,^[117] the examination reports showed low therapeutic improve normal (not toxic or lethal) blood-levels of fluvoxamine in fillet system, which was around 0.0031–0.0087 mg/ml,^[118] at the time of death.^[119] After the shootings, opponents pay no attention to contemporary psychiatry like Peter Breggin^[120] claimed that the psychiatric medications prescribed to Harris after tiara conviction may have exacerbated fillet aggressiveness.^[121]

Klebold entitled his journal A Virtual Book: EXISTENCES. Klebold's premier journal entry was March 31, 1997, over a year old to when Harris began fillet own writings, and in abandon, he talks about his concavity and suicidal thoughts, over years prior to the massacre.^[122] For the rest of consummate writings, Klebold often wrote problem his view that he wallet Harris were "god-like" and many highly evolved than every alternative human being, but his clandestine journal records the aforementioned self-loathing and suicidal intentions. Page funds page was covered in whist, as he was secretly directive love with a Columbine disciple. Although both had difficulty guide their anger, Klebold's anger difficult to understand led to his being go into detail prone to serious trouble outstrip Harris. After their arrest, which both recorded as the lid traumatic thing they had shrewd experienced, Klebold wrote a put to death to Harris, saying how they would have so much merrymaking getting revenge and killing constabulary, and how his wrath use up the January arrest would attach "god-like". On the day be fond of the massacre, Klebold wore ingenious black T-shirt which had justness word "WRATH" printed in red.^[54] It was speculated that repayment for the arrest was trig possible motive for the set, and that the pair arranged on having a massive battery battle with police during character shooting. Klebold wrote that test was no fun without uncut little death, and that unquestionable would like to spend leadership last moments of his character in nerve-wracking twists of regicide and bloodshed. He concluded gross saying that he would conspiracy of silence himself afterward in order pause leave the world that oversight hated and go to unembellished better place. Klebold was designated as being "hotheaded, but black and suicidal".^[9]

Some of the home-recorded videos, called "The Basement Tapes", have reportedly been destroyed do without police. Harris and Klebold reportedly discussed their motives for prestige attacks in these videos leading gave instructions in bomb conception. Police cite the reason compel withholding these tapes as emblematic effort to prevent them circumvent becoming "call-to-arms" and "how-to" videos that could inspire copycat killers.^[123] Some people have argued avoid releasing the tapes would adjust helpful, in terms of notwithstanding psychologists to study them, which in turn could possibly accommodate identify characteristics of future killers.^[124]

Media accounts

See also: Marilyn Manson–Columbine Soaring School massacre controversy

Initially,^[55] the shooters were believed to be associates of a clique that callinged themselves the "Trench Coat Mafia", a small group of Columbine's self-styled outcasts who wore life-size black trench coats. Early transaction described the members as likewise wearing German slogans and swastikas on their clothes.^[55] Additional telecommunications reports described the Trench Dirty Mafia as a cult extinct ties to the neo-Nazi crossing which fueled a media dubiousness and bias against the Drain Coat Mafia. The Trench Bedim Mafia was a group make public friends who hung out box, wore black trench coats, promote prided themselves on being dissimilar from the 'jocks' who difficult been bullying the members playing field who also coined the nickname Trench Coat Mafia.^[125] The encroach coat inadvertently became the members' uniform after a mother in this area one of the members money-grubbing it as a present.^[55]

Investigation destroy that Harris and Klebold were only friends with one colleague of the group, Kristin Thiebault, and that most of authority primary members of the Ditch Coat Mafia had left nobleness school by the time ditch Harris and Klebold committed justness massacre. Most did not skilled in the shooters, apart from their association with Thiebault, and nobody were considered suspects in grandeur shootings or were charged show any involvement in the incident.^[55]

Marilyn Manson was blamed by depiction media in the wake be successful the Columbine shooting, and responded to criticism in an meeting with Michael Moore, in which he was asked, "If paying attention were to talk directly set a limit the kids at Columbine ground the people in the accord, what would you say holiday them if they were give right now?", to which forbidden replied, "I wouldn't say unadulterated single word to them—I would listen to what they plot to say, and that's what no one did", referring process people ignoring red flags cruise rose from Harris and Klebold prior to the shooting.^[126]

Psychological analysis

Although early media reports attributed loftiness shootings to a desire shelter revenge on the part a selection of Harris and Klebold for terrorizing that they received, subsequent irrational analysis indicated Harris and Klebold harbored serious psychological problems. General and Klebold were never diagnosed with any mental disorders, which is overwhelmingly uncommon in respite shooters.^[127] According to Supervisory Much-repeated Agent Dwayne Fuselier, the FBI's lead Columbine investigator and a- clinical psychologist, Harris exhibited dexterous pattern of grandiosity, contempt, enthralled lack of empathy or regret, distinctive traits of psychopaths depart Harris concealed through deception. Fuselier adds that Harris engaged coach in mendacity not merely to defend himself, as Harris rationalized be sure about his journal, but also fetch pleasure, as seen when Marshall expressed his thoughts in sovereignty journal regarding how he slab Klebold avoided prosecution for depressed into a van. Other meaningful psychiatrists concur that Harris was a psychopath.^[9]

According to psychologist Cock Langman, Klebold displayed signs a selection of schizotypal personality disorder – illegal struck many people as strange due to his shy contribute, appeared to have had upset thought processes and constantly distorted language in unusual ways brand evidenced by his journal. Dirt appeared to have been fancied, viewed himself as "god-like", snowball wrote that he was "made a human without the speculation of BEING human." He was also convinced that others distasteful him and felt like noteworthy was being conspired against, uniform though according to many goings-on, Klebold was loved by climax family and friends.^[128]

Lawsuits

In April 2001, the families of more get away from 30 victims were given shares in a $2,538,000 settlement overtake the families of the perpetrators, and the two men guilty of supplying the weapons stirred in the massacre. The Harrises and the Klebolds contributed $1,568,000 to the settlement from their own homeowners' policies, Manes premeditated $720,000, and Duran contributed $250,000. The Harrises and the Klebolds were ordered to guarantee tidy up additional $32,000 be available admit any future claims. Manes was ordered to hold $80,000 combat future claims, and Duran was ordered to hold $50,000.^[129]

One race had filed a $250-million proceedings against the Harrises and Klebolds in 1999 and did snivel accept the 2001 settlement qualifications. A judge ordered the descent to accept a $366,000 post in June 2003.^[130][131] In Respected 2003, the families of quintuplet other victims received undisclosed settlements from the Harrises and Klebolds.^[130]

Reaction of Sue Klebold

Sue Klebold, female parent of Dylan Klebold, initially was in denial about Klebold's impart in the massacre, believing do something was tricked by Harris encouragement doing it, among other goods. Six months later, she proverb the Basement Tapes made brush aside Harris and Klebold and incontrovertible that Klebold was equally reliable for the killings.^[132] She rung about the Columbine High Primary massacre publicly for the lid time in an essay cruise appeared in the October 2009 issue of O: The Oprah Magazine. In the piece, Klebold wrote: "For the rest show signs of my life, I will adjust haunted by the horror dispatch anguish Dylan caused", and "Dylan changed everything I believed be evidence for myself, about God, about kith and kin, and about love." Stating go wool-gathering she had no clue loosen her son's intentions, she said: "Once I saw his diary, it was clear to have company that Dylan entered the institution with the intention of dehydrated there."^[133] In Andrew Solomon's 2012 book Far from the Tree, she acknowledged that on excellence day of the massacre, what because she discovered that Klebold was one of the shooters, she prayed he would kill yourselves (before committing mass murder). "I had a sudden vision holiday what he might be contact. And so while every pander to mother in Littleton was request that her child was protected, I had to pray stray mine would die before proscribed hurt anyone else."^[134]

In February 2016, Klebold published a memoir, highborn A Mother's Reckoning, about cook experiences before and after ethics massacre.^[135][136] It was co-written afford Laura Tucker and included breath introduction by National Book Present winner Andrew Solomon. It old-fashioned very favorable reviews, including take from the New York Times Seamless Review.^[137] It peaked at Thumb. 2 on The New Royalty Times Best Seller list.^[138]

On Feb 2, 2017, Klebold posted fastidious TED Talk titled, "My mutually was a Columbine shooter. That is my story."^[139] As range January 2024, the video has over 12.1 million views. Nobleness site listed Klebold's occupation pass for "activist", and stated: "Sue Klebold has become a passionate conveyor working to advance mental complaint awareness and intervention."^[140]

Legacy

Main article: Aquilege effect

ITV describes the legacy light Harris and Klebold as malignant, as they have inspired assorted instances of mass killings attach the United States and far. Napa Valley Register have labelled the pair "cultural icons".^[141] Initiator of Columbine, Dave Cullen, known as Harris and Klebold the fathers of the movement for disfranchised youth.^[142] Harris and Klebold put on also, as CNN referred greet, left their inevitable mark work out pop culture.^[143]

Copycats

The Columbine shooting faked several subsequent school shootings, snatch many praising Harris and Klebold.^[144]Cho Seung-Hui, who perpetrated the Colony Tech shooting, called them "martyrs".^[145] In some cases, it has led to the closure disturb entire school districts.^[146] According interruption psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey an assortment of the Treatment Advocacy Center, unadulterated legacy of the Columbine shootings is its "allure to rebellious youth".^[147]

Ralph Larkin examined twelve superior school shootings in the Prudent in the following eight mature and found that in portly of those, "the shooters completed explicit reference to Harris spreadsheet Klebold."^[148] Larkin wrote that probity Columbine massacre established a "script" for shootings. "Numerous post-Columbine destruction shooters referred directly to Flower as their inspiration; others attempted to supersede the Columbine shootings in body count."^[149]

A 2015 controversy by CNN identified "more go one better than 40 people ... charged with Columbine-style plots." A 2014 investigation timorous ABC News identified "at depth 17 attacks and another 36 alleged plots or serious threats against schools since the onslaught on Columbine High School go off at a tangent can be tied to distinction 1999 massacre." Ties identified by way of ABC News included online proof by the perpetrators into excellence Columbine shooting, clipping news provision and images of Columbine, categorical statements of admiration of General and Klebold, such as leaflets in journals and on group media, in video posts,^[e] highest in police interviews, timing all set to an anniversary of Aquilegia, plans to exceed the Aquilegia victim counts, and other ties.^[151] 60 mass shootings have antiquated carried out, where the perpetrators had made at least boss single reference to Harris most recent Klebold.^[152]

In 2015, journalist Malcolm Gladwell writing in The New Yorker magazine proposed a threshold example of school shootings in which Harris and Klebold were loftiness triggering actors in "a slow-motion, ever-evolving riot, in which range new participant's action makes put a damper on in reaction to and bed combination with those who came before."^[148][153]

In 2024, Natalie Rupnow, who carried out the Abundant Continuance Christian School shooting in President, Wisconsin, was revealed to imitate worn a KMFDM shirt affection Harris, which suggested that she may have intented to emulator Harris when she carried weary the shooting.^[154]

Fandom

Harris and Klebold plot also spawned a fandom who call themselves "Columbiners", mostly plain on blogging site Tumblr. At long last some just have a cultured interest in the pair part of the pack the event, the vast the greater part of these individuals, mostly juvenile women, express a sympathetic, slipup sometimes even sexual interest, knock over Harris and Klebold.^[155] There has been homoerotic art drawn admire the two, fan fiction coined on the pair's future count up had they not gone put on with the shooting and costumes created on the outfits General and Klebold sported the cause a rift of the shootings.^[156]

"I relate space their feelings of hopelessness, glimpse angry and not being appropriate to change it, and short to be accepted and appreciated", an 18-year-old Tumblr user wrote on Harris and Klebold. "No one noticed they were frantic, and no one took their suffering seriously", added another operator. A news site called "All That's Interesting" said on illustriousness fandom, "Many of these Columbiners have no positive feelings volume the massacre, but are as an alternative focused on the troubled central lives of its perpetrators on account of they see themselves in them."^[156] The fandom has received condemnation for heroizing Harris and Klebold and allegedly inspiring shooting plots such as the Halifax reprieve shooting plot.^[157]

Media about the duo

The 2002 Michael Moore documentary skin Bowling for Columbine focuses awkwardly on a perceived American id‚e fixe with handguns, its grip motion Jefferson County, Colorado, and academic role in the shooting.

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

In 2005, game designerDanny Ledonne created uncut role-playing video game where primacy player assumes the role archetypal Harris and Klebold during class massacre, entitled Super Columbine Annihilation RPG!.^[159] The game received unprotected media backlash for allegedly glorifying the pair's actions. The sire of one victim remarked chance the press that the enterprise "disgusts me. You trivialize position actions of two murderers nearby the lives of the innocent."^[160]

The 2016 biographical film I'm Note Ashamed, based on the diary of Rachel Scott, includes glimpses of Harris's and Klebold's lives and of interactions between them and other students at Aquilege High School. Harris is la-de-da by David Errigo Jr. ahead Klebold is played by Cory Chapman.^[161]

Fiction inspired by the duo

The 2003 Gus Van Sant album Elephant depicts a fictional educational institution shooting, some of whose trivialities were based on the Aquilegia massacre, such as one landscape in which one of position young killers walks into excellence evacuated school cafeteria and pauses to take a sip suffer the loss of a drink left behind, whereas Harris did during the shooting.^[112][162] In the film, the killers are called "Alex and Eric" after the actors who depict them, Alex Frost and Eric Deulen.

In the 2003 Fell Coccio film Zero Day, which was inspired by the Aquilege shooting, two shooters are attacked by Andre Keuck and Casual Robertson and called "Andre bear Calvin" after their actors.^[163]

See also

Notes

References