The Columbine High School Massacre: The Story of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold

On a seemingly ordinary morning of April 20, 1999, the quiet town of Columbine, Colorado, would become the epicenter of a national tragedy. Two high school seniors, Eric David Harris and Dylan Bennet Klebold, orchestrated a devastating attack that would forever alter the landscape of school safety in the United States. By the time the chaos subsided, 13 lives were lost, 23 others were wounded, and the perpetrators themselves were dead by suicide. The Columbine High School massacre was, at that moment, the deadliest school shooting in American history, turning "Columbine" into a chilling synonym for school violence.

The Early Lives of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold

Eric Harris: A Transient Childhood

Eric Harris entered the world on April 9, 1981, in Wichita, Kansas. As the son of a United States Air Force transport pilot, Wayne Harris, and homemaker Katherine Ann Poole, Eric's early years were marked by frequent relocations. From Wichita, the Harris family moved to Dayton, Ohio, when Eric was just two. Six years later, they found themselves in Oscoda, Michigan. Eric's neighbor there, Pastor William Stone, remembered the Harrises as "great neighbors," with Wayne Harris heavily involved in his sons' lives. In 1991, another move took them to Plattsburgh, New York.

Eric's transition from New York to Colorado in 1992 was particularly challenging for him, as he later recounted in a school assignment. Settling in Littleton, Colorado, the family eventually bought a home near Columbine High School, where Eric would start as a freshman in 1995. During his high school years, Eric played on the soccer team and was described by teammates as a "solid" player who enjoyed the sport. He also had a brief relationship with classmate Tiffany Typher, which ended dramatically when Eric staged a fake suicide to win her back—a stunt that led her to tell him to seek psychological help.

Dylan Klebold: A Shy and Gifted Student

Dylan Bennet Klebold was born on September 11, 1981, in Lakewood, Colorado. His parents, Thomas and Sue Klebold, were Ohio State University graduates who valued art and peace, attending a Lutheran church and observing some Jewish traditions from Sue's heritage. Dylan was named after the famous poet Dylan Thomas and was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis shortly after birth, a condition causing severe vomiting.

Dylan's early education was marked by his enrollment in the Challenging High Intellectual Potential Students program for the gifted. Despite his intelligence, Dylan struggled with shyness, particularly as he transitioned to Ken Caryl Middle School. His childhood involved typical activities like playing baseball and soccer, and he formed a long-lasting friendship with Brooks Brown, who would later play a significant role in the events leading up to the massacre.

The Friendship and Transformation

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold met in seventh grade at Ken Caryl Middle School. Their friendship, characterized by shared interests in computers and video games like Doom, deepened over the years. They worked together at Blackjack Pizza, where Eric eventually became a shift leader. Despite their close bond, rumors circulated that the two were romantically involved—though it remains unclear if they were aware of these whispers.

Eric Harris was often seen as charismatic and likable, though he harbored a darker side, evidenced by his fascination with war and violent fantasies. Dylan Klebold, on the other hand, was known for his extreme shyness and nervousness, particularly around women. As their high school years progressed, both boys exhibited worrying behavioral changes. Eric became increasingly quick to anger, and Dylan experienced sudden outbursts, a stark contrast to his previously reserved nature.

The Path to Tragedy

By May 1998, nearly a year before the attack, Harris and Klebold began meticulously planning their massacre. They documented their intentions in journal entries and home videos, hoping to leave behind a legacy that would inspire others. They amassed an arsenal of weapons, including firearms and explosives, which they intended to use in their assault on Columbine High School.

Contrary to initial reports, Harris and Klebold were not part of a clique known as the "Trenchcoat Mafia," despite their penchant for wearing trench coats. The FBI's post-massacre analysis painted Harris as a psychopath with narcissistic traits and a lack of empathy, while Klebold was described as an angry depressive with a vengeful streak. These psychological assessments, however, remain debated, as neither was formally diagnosed with any disorders before the attack.

The Columbine High School Massacre

On April 20, 1999, at precisely 11:19 a.m., Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold embarked on their deadly mission at Columbine High School. Armed with a Hi-Point 995 carbine, a Savage 67H pump shotgun, and various explosives, Harris took the lead, while Klebold wielded an Intratec TEC-DC9 and a Stevens 311D double-barreled sawed-off shotgun. Their targets were the students and staff, with a secondary aim to attack first responders.

The carnage unfolded over 49 harrowing minutes, leaving 14 people dead, including the shooters, and 23 others injured. After killing most of their victims in the school's library, Harris and Klebold turned their guns on themselves, ending their lives and their violent rampage.

The Aftermath and Legacy

The Columbine massacre triggered a media frenzy and moral panic, casting a long shadow over school environments across the nation. "Columbine" became synonymous with school shootings, and the incident inspired a wave of copycat crimes, known as the "Columbine effect." Harris and Klebold's story permeated pop culture, referenced and portrayed in films, television, music, and literature.

While many factors—bullying, mental illness, media influences—were speculated to have contributed to their motives, the true reason behind Harris and Klebold's actions remains elusive. Despite the passage of years, the legacy of that tragic day endures, serving as both a warning and a call to action for a society still grappling with the specter of violence.

Sources

This narrative was adapted from the Wikipedia article on Dylan Klebold.