Columbine High School

Last updated

Columbine High School
Columbine High School sign.jpg
Address
Columbine High School
6201 South Pierce Street [1] [2]

Columbine
,
Colorado
80123

United States
Coordinates 39°36′14″N105°04′27″W / 39.60389°N 105.07417°W / 39.60389; -105.07417
Information
Other nameCHS
Type Public high school
Established1973 (1973)
School district Jefferson County R-1
NCES School ID 080480000707 [3]
PrincipalScott Christy
Teaching staff85.84 (on an FTE basis) [3]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,667 (2023–2024 [3] )
Student to teacher ratio19.42 [3]
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)Navy blue and silver   
Mascot Rebel
Nickname Rebels
Website columbinehs.jeffcopublicschools.org
Hope Columbine Memorial Library.jpg
The library built after the massacre.
Columbine High School in 2006 Columbine High School Pan.jpg
Columbine High School in 2006

Columbine High School (CHS) is a public high school in Columbine, Colorado, United States, in the Denver metropolitan area. It is part of the Jefferson County Public Schools district. [1] [2]

In 1999, it became the scene of an infamous mass shooting, where 12 students and one teacher were murdered by senior students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold before the pair committed suicide.

History

Columbine High School opened in 1973 with a capacity for 1,652 students. [4] It was named after the surrounding community of Columbine, which in turn was named after the state flower of Colorado: the columbine. The school's first principal was Gerald Difford. There was no senior class during the school's first year; its first graduating class was in 1975. The school colors were selected through a vote by students at Ken Caryl Junior High School and Bear Creek High School, who were the first to attend Columbine High School when it opened in 1973.

The school has undergone significant renovations since it first opened: in 1995, with the addition of a new cafeteria and library; in 1999–2000, with interior renovations to the corridors, cafeteria, and former library; and in the early 2000s, with the addition of the new HOPE Columbine Memorial Library and a memorial on the site. [5] [6] [7]

Massacre

Columbine High School was the site of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern United States history. [8] The shootings occurred on April 20, 1999, when senior students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold opened fire and killed 12 students and a teacher, and wounded 24 others, 21 of them by gunfire, before they both committed suicide in the library. The massacre made headlines both nationally and internationally, making Columbine a household name, and causing a moral panic in U.S. high schools. [9] It was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history until it was surpassed by the Parkland high school shooting on February 14, 2018, in which 17 people were killed. [10] [11]

After the shooting, classes at Columbine were held at nearby Chatfield Senior High for the remaining three weeks of that school year. [12]

The school went through a major renovation in 1995, just four years before the massacre, adding a new library and cafeteria. After the shootings, Columbine completely demolished its library, located above the cafeteria, since it was the site where the majority of the deaths occurred. The site was then turned into a memorial ceiling and atrium; a new, larger library was built on the hill where the shooting began and dedicated to the memory of the victims. [13] [14]

By 2019, the school remained a "macabre tourist attraction" for those fascinated by the massacre, with hundreds stopped annually caught trespassing on the grounds or trying to enter the buildings. In June 2019, the superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools proposed tearing down the school and rebuilding it more securely to lessen its "morbid fascination". [15]

2019 Shooting threat

On April 15, 2019, 18-year old Sol Pais bought three one-way tickets from Miami International Airport to Denver, Colorado. After arriving in Colorado, Pais bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition from a dealer she had previously been in contact with.

On April 16, the captain of the Miami Beach Police Department alerted agents with the FBI field office in Miami about a "potential school shooter who is infatuated with Columbine shooter Eric Harris".[ citation needed ] Shortly after Pais was reported missing, investigators gained access to Pais' email, which revealed information for the gun sellers Pais had contacted in Florida. The FBI contacted Pais' Uber driver, who described Pais as cheerful and fluent in Spanish, and had "travelled to Colorado for recreation and was excited to see snow".

At this point, the FBI decided to alert the public due to the danger of a copycat 20th anniversary shooting around April 20 at or near Columbine High School, although April 20 that year was a Saturday. After the manhunt became public, it quickly made national headlines, and hundreds of people called the FBI claiming they had seen Pais panhandling, buying a gun or actually outside of Columbine High School.[ citation needed ] Columbine High School went on lockdown on the afternoon of April 16, and was dismissed normally at the end of the day. With the FBI finding no trace of Pais by the end of the day, Columbine and several dozen schools closed for the day, keeping more than 500,000 students across the state home.

According to Pais' autopsy, however, Pais was already deceased before the manhunt even started on April 15. She had taken about a 40-minute Uber drive from DIA to a mall, and then purchased a shotgun and ammunition from the dealer she had been in contact with previously, before taking another Uber ride from the gun shop "into the mountains" near Mount Evans. According to this Uber driver, Pais "had no food or water and only minimal clothing," and had a "green rifle case" with a "bird hunting gun". Pais apparently committed suicide by gunshot to the head later that night. [16]

Attendance zone

Its attendance zone includes the Columbine CDP. [17] [18]

Notable students

1999 massacre

Perpetrators

Victims

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbine High School massacre</span> 1999 mass shooting in Columbine, Colorado, US

The Columbine High School massacre, often referred to as simply Columbine, was a school shooting and attempted bombing that occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, twelfth-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered twelve students and one teacher. Ten of the twelve students killed were in the school library, where Harris and Klebold subsequently died by suicide. Twenty-one additional people were injured by gunshots, and gunfire was also exchanged with the police. Another three people were injured trying to escape. The Columbine massacre was the deadliest mass shooting at a K-12 school in U.S. history, until December 2012. Columbine is still considered one of the most infamous massacres in the U.S. for inspiring many other school shootings and bombings; the word "Columbine" has since become a byword for modern school shootings. As of 2024, Columbine is still the deadliest school shooting in Colorado and one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jefferson County, Colorado</span> County in Colorado, United States

Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 582,910, making it the fourth-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Golden, and the most populous city is Lakewood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbine, Colorado</span> Census-designated place in Jefferson and Arapahoe counties in Colorado, United States

Columbine is a census-designated place (CDP) in and governed by Jefferson and Arapahoe counties in Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver metropolitan area. Located primarily in Jefferson County, Columbine lies immediately south of Denver. The population of the Columbine CDP was 25,229 at the 2020 census. The community lies in ZIP code 80123.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Caryl, Colorado</span> Census-designated place in the United States

Ken Caryl, commonly known as Ken Caryl Ranch, is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Ken Caryl CDP was 33,811 at the 2020 census. The Ken Caryl Ranch Metropolitan District and the Ken Caryl Ranch Water District provide services. The Littleton post office serves the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold</span> American mass murderers (1981–1999)

Eric David Harris and Dylan Bennet Klebold were two American high school seniors and mass murderers who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, in Columbine, Colorado. Harris and Klebold killed 12 students and one teacher and wounded 24 others. After killing most of their victims in the school's library, they died by suicide. At the time, it was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassie Bernall</span> Victim of the Columbine High School Massacre

Cassie René Bernall was an American student who was killed in the Columbine High School massacre, where 11 more students and a teacher were killed by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who then committed suicide. It was reported that Bernall had been asked whether or not she believed in God, and she said "Yes", before being shot during the massacre. However, investigators concluded the person who was asked about her belief in God was Valeen Schnurr, who survived the shooting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Scott</span> American murder victim (1981–1999)

Rachel Joy Scott was an American student who was the first fatality of the Columbine High School massacre, during which 11 other students and a teacher were also murdered by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who then committed suicide.

<i>Columbinus</i> Play written by Stephen Karam

Columbinus is a play written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli, with contributions by Josh Barrett, Sean McNall, Karl Miller, Michael Milligan and Will Rogers, created by the United States Theatre Project. The play looks at issues of alienation, hostility and social pressure in high schools and was suggested by the April 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. The play premiered in Silver Spring, Maryland in 2005 and then Off-Broadway in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littleton, Colorado</span> City in Colorado, United States

Littleton is a home rule municipality city located in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties, Colorado, United States. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city population was 45,652 at the 2020 United States Census, ranking as the 20th most populous municipality in Colorado.

<i>Lullaby for Columbine</i> 1999 compilation album by Various Artists

Lullaby for Columbine, Love Endures is the name of a benefit CD released in 1999 shortly after the Columbine High School massacre where twelve students and a teacher were murdered by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold before they committed suicide. It was previously the deadliest high school shooting in United States history. The name is synonymous with both the title cut featured on the album and the non-profit organization that produced it, whose full name is "The Lullaby for Columbine Project."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clement Park</span> Park in Jefferson County, Colorado, U.S.

Robert F. Clement Park is located in Columbine, unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado. It is part of the Foothills Park and Recreation District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marilyn Manson–Columbine High School massacre controversy</span> 1990s controversy in the US

Following the massacre at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, one common view was that the violent actions perpetrated by the two shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, were due to violent influences in entertainment, specifically those in the music of Marilyn Manson.

<i>Im Not Ashamed</i> 2016 American film

I'm Not Ashamed is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Brian Baugh and based on the journals of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Columbine, Colorado. Scott, played by Masey McLain, serves as the protagonist of the film; the story of both gunmen, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, is intertwined with hers and this indicates the two were the antagonists. The film was distributed by Pure Flix Entertainment. It received generally negative reviews from critics and audiences. It performed poorly at the box office as well, with revenue of $2.1 million compared to the $1.5 million budget of the film.

<i>She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall</i> 1999 memoir by Misty Bernall

She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall is a memoir by Misty Bernall about the life of her daughter Cassie Bernall who was killed during the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Klebold</span> American author and activist (born 1949)

Susan Francis Klebold is an American activist and author whose son, Dylan Bennet Klebold, was one of the perpetrators of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. After the massacre, she wrote A Mother's Reckoning, a book about the signs and possible motives she missed of Dylan's mental state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbine Memorial</span> Memorial in Colorado commemorating the Columbine High School Massacre

The Columbine Memorial is a memorial in Columbine, Colorado, that honors the deceased and injured victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. The memorial is located in Clement Park, which is behind Columbine High School, the site of the massacre. It is operated by a non-profit institution whose mission is to operate the memorial and its upkeeping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Eubanks</span> American addiction recovery advocate and Columbine High School massacre survivor

Stephen Austin Eubanks was an American motivational speaker on addiction and recovery. He was one of the most well-known survivors of the Columbine High School massacre, both in its immediate aftermath and in post-event commentary. During the shooting, Eubanks' best friend, 17-year-old Corey DePooter, was killed and Eubanks was shot in his hand and knee. Eubanks struggled with opioid addiction and later heroin use for years after the shooting. He was the chief operations officer for the Foundry Treatment Center. Eubanks died of a heroin overdose in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbine effect</span> Legacy of the 1999 Columbine massacre

The Columbine effect is the legacy and impact of the Columbine High School massacre, which occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. The shooting has had an effect on school safety, policing tactics, prevention methods, and inspired numerous copycat crimes, with many killers taking their inspiration from Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold by describing the two perpetrators as being martyrs or heroes.

<i>No Easy Answers</i> 2002 book by Brooks Brown and Rob Merritt

No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine is a 2002 non-fiction book by Brooks Brown and Rob Merritt about the Columbine High School massacre. Brown was a student at Columbine High School at the time of the shooting and a friend of the perpetrators, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The book recounts Brown's experiences growing up as close friends with Klebold, his time as a student at Columbine, and his experiences with media, police, and school authorities following the shooting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sol Pais</span> American student, subject of a 2019 manhunt

Sol Leonina Pais was an American student who received national recognition after she became the suspect in a large FBI manhunt in 2019. Pais had flown from Miami to Colorado and purchased a shotgun from a private dealer. After her parents informed authorities that she was missing, she was traced to Colorado. Police recognized Pais as Armed and Dangerous; a BOLO alert was put out, and a large manhunt ensued.

References

  1. 1 2 "School's website". Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017. 6201 S. Pierce St., Littleton, CO 80123 - Compare the full street address to the maps.
  2. 1 2 "Littleton Zip Codes". City of Littleton. Retrieved July 16, 2024. Zip Code 80123 Area in City Limits Partially
    See also: U.S. Census Block Maps of Columbine census-designated place (CDP): 2020, 2010, 2000 (index and pages 1 and 2), and 1990 (index and pages 30 and 35)
    The City of Houston stated: "The U.S. Postal Service establishes ZIP codes and mailing addresses in order to maximize the efficiency of their system, not to recognize jurisdictional boundaries."
    In the school's postal address, "Littleton" is indicated because its ZIP code, 80123, is primarily associated with that city. Littleton itself, seat of Arapahoe County, is mostly in a different school district, and partly in other districts, with only a small part in Jefferson County Schools (See Census maps of school districts: Arapahoe p 1 (PDF p. 2/3), Douglas with text, Jefferson p 1 (PDF p. 2/3) with text).
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Search for Public Schools - CCOLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL (080480000707)". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  4. ↑ Jefferson County Historical Commission webpage Archived August 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved April 16, 2016
  5. ↑ HOPE Columbine Memorial Library Archived April 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved April 16, 2016
  6. ↑ Cleaned-up Columbine reopens Monday, Fox News, January 26, 2001 . Retrieved April 16, 2016
  7. ↑ Columbine: Memories at every turn, Denver Post. April 19, 2009 Archived April 25, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved April 16, 2016
  8. ↑ "Columbine High School shootings". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  9. ↑ Lessons from Littleton (Part I) at the National Association of Independent Schools Archived February 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ Laughland, Oliver; Luscombe, Richard; Yuhas, Alan (February 15, 2018). "At least 17 people dead in Florida school shooting: 'It's a horrific, horrific day'". The Guardian . Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  11. ↑ Earl, Jennifer (February 14, 2018). "Florida school shooting among 10 deadliest in modern US history". Fox News. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  12. ↑ Hill, David (November 1999). "Life After Death – Education Week Teacher". Education Week. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  13. ↑ Shepard, C. "Remodeling Columbine High School – the new library, cafeteria, inside and outside". acolumbinesite.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2007.
  14. ↑ – Remodeling Of School Info Page 2 Archived October 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Turkewitz, Julie; Healy, Jack; Hassan, Adeel (June 7, 2019). "Columbine High School Could Be Torn Down to Deter Copycats". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Sol Pais Dead: Massive Colorado Manhunt over - CBS Colorado". CBS News . April 17, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Columbine CDP" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  18. ↑ "High Schools". Jeffco Public Schools . Retrieved March 28, 2020. – Detail map
  19. ↑ Baseball Almanac Archived October 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ "Manager and Coaches". San Diego Padres. Archived from the original on August 28, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  21. ↑ Baca, Ricardo (March 12, 2008). "Now it's only about the music". The Denver Post . Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Allan Kayser". IMDb. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
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