Columbine High School Shooting

News & SocietyNews

  • Author Mario Palias
  • Published January 2, 2008
  • Word count 305

To date, the columbine school shooting is one of the worst school shootings in the history of the United States. The shooting took place on April 20th, 1999 at the Columbine High School in Colorado. The shooters were two students, Dylan Klebold, and Eric Harris. They killed 12 fellow students, and a teacher, as well as wounding 23 other students.

This shooting was not one of impulse, but one that was planned for over a year. Originally, the shooters planned to commit their acts on the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. They didn't want to just cause havoc within the school, but attack a symbol of America's way of life. If they didn't do such a terrible job at wiring the timers on the propane bombs in the cafeteria, 600 or more people could have been killed. After the bombs would have went off, they had planned to gun down fleeing survivors.

Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were two completely different people. Dylan was the easier person to understand. He was depressed and suicidal and blamed himself for everything. On the other hand Eric was the opposite. He was the friendly type of person, one you would want to be around. But behind close doors, he had homicidal thoughts and just wanted to hurt others. He has been described as a "psychopath".

Many have asked if this could have been prevented, and how. I believe it could have easily been prevented, if parents and classmates took their warning signs more seriously from videos to their website. They could have went to psychiatrists and maybe receive a medication that would atleast help them get through life, or even be expelled for making such plans. The truth is, warning signs are most often a cry for help, and if they don't get the help they need, they do something irrational.

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