Columbine High School Shooting Case Study

The Columbine high school shooting took place in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999. Two teens went on a shooting spree, killing 13 people and wounding more than 20 others before turning their guns on themselves and committing suicide. The crime was named one of the worst high school shooting in U.S. history and later began a national debate on gun control and school safety. There was also a major investigation to determine the motivations the gunmen, Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17. There were speculations that Harris and Klebold committed this vicious crime because they were members of a social outcasts group and as retaliation for being bullied. Through journals left behind, investigators later discovered the teens had been planning

Officer Neil Gardner was the first on scene and exchanged gunfire with Eric, who shot out a window at the school entrance. When Gardner was no longer in gunfire with Eric, he reported shots were fired over his radio and all other available units were then notified. Many students and teachers called 911 throughout the hour.

The seven minutes between 11:29 and 11:36 a.m. is when Eric and Dylan carried out their most brutal actions of the hour, the attack on the 56 students and staff hiding in the library. They both approached the library doors, instructing the people hiding to get up, but no one moved. Eric then decided to start shooting away. The boys both started shooting and made their way into the library to look for survivors up until this point hiding. While this was all happening, Patti Nielson was still on the phone with the

He was trying to hide behind a computer desk when he was shot in the back of the head and died instantly. Harris and Klebold then started to reload their weapons; making vicious comments about the people they’ve killed or wanted to kill. When they were finished reloading their guns, Eric noticed police officers helping evacuate people out of the building. He then started shooting out one of the library windows at the officers. As Eric fired, Dylan continued to scope the room, looking for more survivors when he saw Patrick Ireland, Daniel Steepleton, and Makai Hall all hiding under a table. He fired at them and injured all three boys. Eric threw a CO2 bomb at their table, landing directly on Steepleton’s thigh. Makai Hall grabbed the bomb and threw it of him and it went off in mid