The Search for Truth at Columbine

Peter Langman, Ph.D.

Introduction did a project focused on Marilyn Manson and Jeffrey Dahmer.4

This indicates a certain interest in and knowledge about Marilyn
Despite the massive media coverage and in-depth investigation Manson. In a telephone conversation between two of Eric’s good
by law enforcement of the attack at Columbine High School, friends, they stated that Eric didn’t listen to Marilyn Manson.5
there has been a great deal of confusion about Eric Harris and This, however, is contradicted by a better source: Eric Harris.
Dylan Klebold. To start with an apparently simple example, In a school assignment Eric lamented that people often do
were Eric and Dylan fans of Marilyn Manson? In the immediate not pay attention to the lyrics of the songs they listen to. He
wake of the attack, the Washington Times reported that Harris stressed the importance of listening to the lyrics of such bands
and Klebold “admired the Gothic scene and Satan worship, as “Rammstein, KMFDM, NIN [Nine Inch Nails], M.M.”6 In this
sometimes donning makeup in the style of one of their heroes, context, M.M. almost certainly stood for Marilyn Manson, and
shock rock star Marilyn Manson.”1 In an article on the fifth Eric included him in the same list as his favorite bands. Thus,
anniversary of Columbine, however, another reporter stated, though he was not a fanatical follower of Manson, it appears
“Klebold and Harris hated Marilyn Manson.”2 Unfortunately, that Eric was a fan of Manson’s music.
the evidence for this statement is not cited. It may have come What about Dylan? First, we know that when law enforce-
from a student who was quoted in yet another article: “I heard ment searched the Klebold residence, they found a Marilyn
somebody saying they loved Marilyn Manson . . . They both Manson CD.7 We also know that a friend of Dylan’s who spoke
hated Marilyn Manson. The people who are saying things like to him daily stated that Dylan liked Marilyn Manson.8 Also,
that didn’t know them.”3 the same two friends who commented that Eric didn’t listen to
This is an example of problematic reporting, where different Manson noted that Dylan did.9 Finally, we have the testimony of
sources present conflicting information. This kind of conflict- Mrs. Klebold that Dylan listened to Marilyn Manson, talked to
ing reporting occurs frequently in the material on Columbine, her about why he liked the music, and had a poster of Manson
posing significant challenges to anyone seeking reliable infor- in his room.10
mation. Thus, though there is no evidence that Eric and Dylan imi-
Before proceeding, let’s resolve the issue of Marilyn Man- tated the makeup of Marilyn Manson, there is evidence that
son. Based on the evidence now available it seems that all of they listened to his music. Though this may be a minor point,
the above reports are wrong. The student quoted above who it demonstrates how difficult it is to make definitive statements
said Eric and Dylan hated Marilyn Manson was more of an ac- about Eric and Dylan. Even friends of theirs who claimed to
quaintance than a close friend. We have statements from more have inside information were often wrong. We have to be very
trustworthy sources, and they tell a different story. careful about taking any statement at face value.
First, what do we know about Eric and Marilyn Manson? Most school shooters are difficult to investigate due to a lack
According to a girl from his psychology class, Eric and Dylan of information. In the case of Columbine, however, there is an
overwhelming amount of information, including over 27,000

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pages of documents from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Dylan did not wear berets; neither did they wear makeup.
(JCSO), most of which can be found online. These documents There was a boy named Chris who did wear a trench coat and
contain the reports of thousands of interviews, including most a beret.12 There were also boys who wore trench coats and used
of the students in the school, teachers and administrators, and makeup.13 In fact, a boy named Robert who wore black nail pol-
people from the community who knew Eric and Dylan, as well ish14 was about the same height as Dylan, was thin like Dylan,
as their journals and other documents. and wore his hair the same way as Dylan. At least one student
Even though an overwhelming amount of information is reported that she got the two boys mixed up.15 During the at-
available, there are still materials that have not been made pub- tack, several students thought Robert was one of the shooters
lic. Several thousand pages of the JCSO documents are unre- because of his resemblance to Dylan. The student quoted in the
leased. The videos that Eric and Dylan made about the attack, article confused Eric and Dylan with other kids.
known as the Basement Tapes, have been shown to a few people, More significantly, there were rumors that Eric and Dylan,
but only brief excerpts and descriptions of their content have along with members of the Trench Coat Mafia, were gay. When
been made public. And in April 2007, depositions from Mr. and reporter Dave Cullen investigated this, however, he found that
Mrs. Harris and Mr. and Mrs. Klebold were sealed by a judge “the stories were generally vague, secondhand, and never from
for another twenty years. Thus, even nine years after the attack, students who personally knew members of the group.”16 A
we are still left without important information. student stated that Eric and Dylan “would touch each other in
The challenge that a researcher faces is to sort through school. People have seen them. One of them went up to a kid
the mass of information that is currently available and make I know and did that” (he demonstrated grabbing his crotch).
as much sense of it as possible. This is not easy. There are When asked if that were Eric or Dylan, the student said, “I don’t
contradictions, misconceptions, confusion, and controversies. know,” adding that it was “people in the group.” Thus, behavior
Though perhaps two thousand people were interviewed, that was engaged in by members of the Trench Coat Mafia was
people’s memories are far from perfect, especially under stress. attributed to Eric and Dylan because they wore trench coats.
The day of the attack was probably the most stressful day in There are, in fact, reports in the JCSO material of Trench
the lives of everyone at the school. Also, what is it like to be a Coat Mafia members grabbing crotches in front of people, and
teenager whose friend or classmate has just committed mass of males kissing each other publicly,17 but none that Eric or
murder? How do you make sense of that? Do you decide that Dylan engaged in such behavior. Just to add to the confusion,
such an act must have been in response to something else, and one of the boys in the Trench Coat Mafia who engaged in this
look for problems in the home or at school? provocative sexual behavior was named Eric. This may be the
And how does this process of coming to terms with a trag- source of some of the confusion — there were two boys named
edy the magnitude of Columbine affect how you describe the Eric who wore trench coats. One of them engaged in public
perpetrators? Do you downplay their bad points to make sense homosexual behavior. The other one — Eric Harris — did not.
of the fact that you were friends with them? Or do you exagger- The same student who was just quoted also said that the
ate their bad points to construct a more coherent interpretation Trench Coat Mafia kids were made fun of, and lumped Eric
of reality? And how do you present things when you are under and Dylan in with the TCM: “They [Eric and Dylan] were in the
suspicion for possibly knowing about the plan and might be Trench Coat Mafia, and that’s something around our school that
facing arrest yourself? we consider freaks.”18 He said that as a result, Eric and Dylan
were picked on. Yet, Eric and Dylan were not in the Trench Coat
Mafia, and this student could not talk about them apart from
Problematic Reporting that identification. He said Eric and Dylan were gay and that
they were picked on for being in the TCM, but when pushed on
A significant problem with student reports is that some of the the issue, could not be sure he even knew which kids he was
students interviewed by the media apparently did not know talking about.
Eric and Dylan, or knew them only as kids who sometimes Similarly, Time Magazine reported the following:
wore trench coats. As a result, people assumed that Eric and
“Columbine is a clean, good place except for those rejects,”
Dylan were part of the Trench Coat Mafia (TCM); this assump-
Todd says of Klebold and Harris and their friends. “Most
tion is wrong. Thus, when talking about Eric and Dylan, some
kids didn’t want them there. They were into witchcraft.
students confused them with other people who wore trench
They were into voodoo dolls. Sure, we teased them. But
coats or were considered misfits. The Washington Post stated:
what do you expect with kids who come to school with
“In recent days, the pair seemed even odder than before — at
weird hairdos and horns on their hats? . . . They’re a bunch
least in retrospect, students said. ‘You would see them sort of
of homos, grabbing each other’s private parts. If you want
marching down the hall together with their berets, dark glasses,
to get rid of someone, usually you tease ’em. So the whole
their boots and their makeup.’”11
school would call them homos.”19
This statement is supposedly about Eric and Dylan, but
based on the internal evidence, it cannot be about them. Eric This passage could easily be used to support the idea that

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Eric and Dylan were persecuted, but that would be a mistake. attack was not directed at anyone in particular; the goal was to
Who is this student talking about? The reporters’ comment says kill as many people as possible.
he was talking about “Klebold and Harris and their friends,” but When the bombs in the cafeteria failed to detonate, Eric and
nothing that the student said applied to Eric and Dylan. They Dylan entered the school and began shooting. The comments
were not into witchcraft. They were not into voodoo. They did they made in the school led to the impression that specific
not have weird hairdos. They did not wear horns on their hats. groups of people were targeted. They told all jocks to stand up;
They did not grab each other’s crotches. There were kids at they also, however, yelled for everyone to stand up. Some of the
Columbine who did these things, but Eric and Dylan were not people they shot were jocks, but most were not.
among them. Thus, we again see a student apparently talking They taunted an African American student before shooting
about Eric and Dylan, but confusing them with all the stu- him, referring to him as “nigger.” This suggested that minori-
dents who were considered misfits, outcasts, or members of ties were targeted. A careful review of Eric and Dylan’s behavior,
the Trench Coat Mafia. however, shows that they taunted people for anything they could
The examples presented above were not the only problem- before shooting them. They seemed to want to not only kill,
atic reports; such errors were rampant in the aftermath of the but to humiliate their victims. Thus, an overweight person was
attack. The lesson of this section is that we cannot accept all taunted for being fat, a person who wore glasses was taunted
testimony as valid. This is why it so difficult to determine what about the glasses, and so on.24 There was no systematic seeking
really happened at Columbine. out of particular people, just hurtful, humiliating comments
about anyone they encountered.
As noted by one reporter, “Several of the injured and dead
Mining the Data had scarcely been at Columbine long enough to make friends,
let alone enemies, and had never even met the killers.”25 In
This section attempts to establish a clearer picture of Eric, pondering Eric’s and Dylan’s motives and behavior, a story in
Dylan, and Columbine High School than what is generally Time Magazine asked, “Why, if their motive was rage at the ath-
presented in the media. The primary source of information will letes who taunted them, didn’t they take their guns and bombs
be the 20,000 pages of documentation released by the Jefferson to the locker room? Because retaliation against specific people
County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). was not the point.”26

There Were No Targets Eric Liked School

Eric and Dylan did not plan the attack on Columbine High Many people assume that Eric must have hated school — why
School as a school shooting. It was to be a much bigger attack else would he want to blow it up? Yet, there is evidence that he
involving several steps. To begin, Eric and Dylan planted bombs actually enjoyed school. He also went out of his way to exonerate
away from the school to distract law enforcement officials. These the school from blame. In talking about the upcoming attack,
bombs caused no damage.20 The main element of the attack he wrote, “Don’t blame the school . . . the administration is do-
involved bombs in the school cafeteria. If these bombs had deto- ing a fine job.”27 If he were tormented as badly as has usually
nated, they might have killed hundreds of people.21 What was been claimed, it would be odd for him to free the school from
supposed to happen next is not clear. Perhaps Eric and Dylan blame and praise the administration.
planned to shoot people as they fled the building, or maybe In addition, when Eric wrote a list of things he loved and
they would have entered the building and shot survivors. As things he hated, he wrote the following: “You know what I love?
a last deadly assault, Eric and Dylan had bombs in their cars. School!”28 Stating that he loved school casts doubt on the belief
These were supposed to detonate after the attack, potentially that Eric was so badly treated that he was driven to blow up the
killing parents, media, law enforcement, and rescue workers school. He gave no indication that he hated his classes or the
who had arrived.22 Understanding the magnitude of the attack social life at school. Eric was a dedicated student who generally
is essential to understanding the next point. maintained good grades, even as he was planning the destruc-
Despite early reports to the contrary, the attack was not tion of the school. One reason he had for liking school was his
targeted toward jocks, Christians, minorities, or any particular social network. This will be discussed below.
individual or group. The attack Eric and Dylan planned would Another probable reason he liked school was that it was a
have killed a massive number of people — there were no spe- forum in which he experienced success. His academic success
cific targets. Even Eric and Dylan’s friends would have been validated his sense of himself as intelligent and superior. For
likely victims. Dylan videotaped Eric saying, “Morris, Nate — if example, a classmate said Eric “was so . . . involved in class,
you guys live I want you to have whatever you want from my always had his hand up . . . he knew every single answer. Gram-
room.”23 Chris Morris and Nate Dykeman were two of his best mar, Shakespeare, class discussion on whatever.”29 Another
friends. When Eric said, “if you guys live,” he demonstrated student said that Eric was looked up to because he was smart.30
his willingness to kill everyone, including his own friends. The Eric’s teachers appreciated his interest and motivation. His

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Government/Economics teacher commented on Eric’s report something to cause more devastation.41
card, “positive attitude and good cooperation.”31 So did his
Sometimes Eric seemed to think that he was capable of over-
chemistry teacher.32 So did his German teacher.33 His American
powering entire countries:
literature teacher made the same comment, and added “strong
interest and participation.”34 On a progress report, his govern- And to you assholes in Iraq and Iran and all those other
ment/economics teacher wrote, “Eric is doing awesome!”35 little piece of shit desert lands who hate us, shut up and
Rather than hating school, it appears that Eric thrived in class die! We will kick your ass if you try to fuck with us or at
because he experienced success and validation for his intel- least I will!42
ligence.
Eric even thought larger than attacking individual nations,
sometimes fantasizing about eliminating almost everyone in
The Scope of Eric’s Fantasies the world:
To focus solely on Eric’s actual attack is to ignore the extent of Our actions are a two-man war against everyone else.43
his homicidal thoughts. His fantasies of violence ran wild, far
Hmm, just thinking if I want all humans dead or maybe
beyond the scope of jocks or kids he didn’t like. Sometimes
just the quote-unquote “civilized, developed, and known-
he thought about destroying Denver or local neighborhoods:
of” places on Earth, maybe leave little tribes of natives in
I live in Denver, and god damnit I would love to kill almost the rain forest or something. Hmm, I’ll think about that.44
all of its residents. Fucking people with their rich snobby
No one is worthy of this planet, only me and who ever I
attitude thinking they are all high and mighty.36
choose . . . Everyone should be shot out into space and only
God I want to torch and level everything in this whole those people I say should be left behind.73
fucking area . . . imagine THAT you fuckers, picture half of
Before I leave this worthless place, I will kill who ever I
Denver on fire just from me and Vodka [Vodka was Dylan’s
deem unfit.45
nickname]. Napalm on sides of skyscrapers and car garages
blowing up from exploded gas tanks . . . oh man that would If I could nuke the world I would, because so far I hate
be beautiful.”7 you all. There are probably around 10 people I wouldn’t
want to die.47
[After attacking the school] we will hijack some awesome
car, and drive off to the neighborhood of our choice and I have a goal to destroy as much as possible. . .. I want to
start torching houses with molotov cocktails. By that time burn the world, I want to kill everyone except about 5
cops will be all over us and we start to kill them too!38 people, who I will name later, so if you are reading this
you are lucky you escaped my rampage because I wanted
If we have figured out the art of time bombs before hand,
to kill you.48
we will set hundreds of them around houses, roads, bridges,
buildings and gas stations, anything that will cause dam- Sometimes, Eric thought globally, thinking that that all humans
age and chaos . . . It’ll be like the LA riots, the Oklahoma should be exterminated.
bombing, WWII, Vietnam . . . all mixed together. Maybe we
I think we are all a waste of natural resources and should
will even start a little rebellion or revolution to fuck things
be killed off, and since humans have the ability to choose
up as much as we can.39
. . . and I’m human . . . I think I will choose to kill and damage
Sometimes Eric thought in even larger terms, such as attacking as much as nature allows me to.49
an unspecified major city:
If you recall your history the Nazis came up with a “final
I’ll just go to some downtown area in some big ass city solution” to the Jewish problem. Kill them all. Well, in case
and blow up and shoot everything I can . . . I will rig up you haven’t figured it out yet, I say “KILL MANKIND” no
explosives all over a town and detonate each one of them one should survive.50
at will after I mow down a whole fucking area of you snotty
Eric’s goal in life was to commit as much destruction as
ass rich mother fucking high strung godlike attitude having
possible. As he put it, “I want to burn the world.”51
worthless pieces of shit whores. I don’t care if I live or die
in the shootout, all I want to do is kill and injure as many
of you pricks as I can.40 Eric’s Reasons for Murder
Long before the Al Qaeda attack on September 11, 2001, Eric If the attack was not revenge against jocks, then why did Eric
dreamed about a similar attack on New York: go on his rampage? Eric made numerous statements about why
people should be killed.
We will hijack a hell of a lot of bombs and crash a plane
into NYC with us inside firing away as we go down. Just

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1. He is the law 12. Revenge
My belief is that if I say something, it goes. I am the law, Everyone is always making fun of me because of how I
if you don’t like it, you die.52 look, how fucking weak I am and shit, well I will get you
all back, ultimate fucking revenge here.64
2. To solve arguments
It is interesting that out of a dozen reasons for killing people,
That’s the only way to solve arguments with all you fuck-
only one had to do with being picked on. The others had to
heads out there, I just kill!53
do with Eric’s grandiosity and his contempt for others. Thus,
3. Because he doesn’t like someone murder was not simply a method of revenge for Eric. It was a
way to play God.
If I don’t like you . . . you die.54

4. Because he doesn’t like what someone tells him to do Not Social Outcasts
[If] I don’t like what you want me to do, you die.55
The image of Eric and Dylan as isolated, ostracized kids lurking
5. To get rid of snobs on the periphery of their peer group may be deeply ingrained,
but it is wrong. In the words of Dave Cullen:
I live in denver, and god damnit I would love to kill almost
all of its residents. Fucking people with their rich snobby Perhaps the most pervasive myth is that Harris and Klebold
attitude.56 were rejected outcasts. They were not captains of the
football team, but they were far more accepted than many
6. To rid the earth of inferior people (assist natural selection)
of their schoolmates. They hung out with a tight circle of
I would get rid of all the fat, retarded, crippled, stupid, close friends and partied regularly on the weekend with
dumb, ignorant, worthless people of this world.57 a wider crowd.65

7. Gays don’t deserve to live Another reporter noted, “Several students who knew Klebold
and Harris as classmates or even as friends have trouble with
ALL gays, should be killed.58
the notion that they were really outcasts at all.”66 In order to
8. Human race doesn’t deserve to live demonstrate how well connected they were socially, and how
engaged in a variety of activities, we need to examine several
The human race isn’t worth fighting for, only worth kill-
areas of their lives. The following sections involve many names
ing.59
of peers; there is no need to keep track of them all. They are
I say “KILL MANKIND” no one should survive.60 provided in order to demonstrate that Eric and Dylan were
socially involved far beyond what is generally recognized.
9. Just because?
Someones bound to say “what were they thinking” . . . I Male and female friends
have a goal to destroy as much as possible . . . I want to Two of Eric’s and Dylan’s best friends were Chris M. and
burn the world.61 Nate; the four boys joined together to be a team in a bowling
class at school.67 Zach was another good friend. When Eric
10. Hatred
and Dylan went on their Rebel Missions — midnight escapades
If I could nuke the world I would, because so far I hate of mischief and vandalism, Zach often joined them.68 Zach
you all.62 was also a partner in crime when Eric and Dylan hacked into
the school computer system (discussed below). He and Dylan
11. Sadistic pleasure
often got drunk together.69 Zach said that he talked to Dylan
I want to tear a throat out with my own teeth like a pop every night.70
can. I want to gut someone with my hand, to tear a head Eric had a group of friends in German class, including Kristi,
off and rip out the heart and lungs from the neck, to stab Chris W., and Monica.71 Chris W. was a jock, but Eric liked him.
someone in the gut, shove it up to their heart, and yank Eric tried to get him to buy him a gun, and even though Chris
the fucking blade out of their rib cage! I want to grab some refused, they remained friends.72
weak little freshman and just tear them apart like a wolf, When Eric had a birthday party shortly before the attack, he
show them who is god. Strangle them, squish their head, and a group of friends got together at a restaurant. The group
bite their temples in the skull, rip off their jaw, rip of their included Dylan, Cory, Chris M., Nicole, and perhaps others.73
colar bones, break their arms in half and twist them around, Nicole enjoyed the party and commented that Eric was really
the lovely sounds of bones cracking and flesh ripping, ahhh funny.74 In fact, Eric used to hang out with Nicole and other
. . . so much to do and so little chances.63 friends at her house; her mother said Eric “seemed very sweet.
Played Nintendo, laughed, had a good time. Joked, drank soda

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pop, had hot dogs. All-around good kid.”75 several girls (on perhaps more than one occasion), including
Dylan and Brooks had been friends since first grade, and Jessica, Kathryn, Lauren, and Veronica.102
Eric became friends with Brooks in high school. For a while, Many girls commented that Eric treated them nicely. Melissa
Dylan played drums in a band with Brooks.76 Nick was another said, “I used to talk to Eric once in a while . . . He was like the
long-term friend of Dylan’s, having known each other since sweetest guy I ever knew.”103 Kate said that Eric helped her with
third grade.77 Dylan was friends with a boy named Richard; geometry.104 Alison said that Eric was kind and nice.105 Jennifer
their families knew each other and they went to baseball games said that Eric was always nice to her.106
together.78 Three unidentified friends helped Eric and Dylan Eric was also friends with Becca; they sat together in class,
create Eric’s website. They are referred to on the website as cut class together, and once in March, 1999, they had lunch
Excaliber, Imaginos, and Jester.79 Excaliber reportedly was a at Eric’s house.107 The day before the attack, Eric, Dylan, and
friend of Dylan’s from the theatre department.80 The identities Brooks went to lunch with Becca.108 Eric was also friends with
of the other two friends remain unknown. a couple of drug-involved girls. One was Jennifer, who may have
Another boy from the theatre department had a Christmas sold him cocaine.109 Another was Stephanie, who hung out
party that Dylan attended.81 John, another theatre student, was with Eric and Dylan at the “smoker’s pit” where they smoked
also a friend of Dylan’s, though they did not socialize outside marijuana and talked.110 Another girl, Jeanette, occasionally
of school.82 A boy named Timothy considered himself good went with Eric to a friend’s house, and Eric attended a party at
friends with Eric and Dylan, and Dylan had gone to his birth- her house.111 Eric was also friends with Sarah; he had signed
day party in 1998.83 A boy named Matt was a friend of Dylan’s her yearbook the previous year and actually gave her a hug on
who worked in a video store; he once brought a movie Dylan the morning of the attack.112 Eric also maintained contact with
requested and watched it at Dylan’s house along with another a girl he had been close to in sixth grade back in Plattsburgh,
friend of Dylan’s named David.84 Eric C. was good friends with New York; in fact, after the attack, police found an unsent email
Dylan; they would hang out in the cafeteria, play cards, and talk he had written to her.113
about sports and music.85 Another boy who hung with Dylan Dylan was less successful with girls. By virtually all accounts,
was Chris L.86 Mr. and Mrs. Klebold estimated that Dylan had he was markedly shy. Nonetheless, despite reports that he never
sleepovers at various friends’ houses once or twice a month.87 dated, the same Sasha who dated Eric said that she dated Dylan
Friends often stayed over at Dylan’s house, too, referring to the a couple of times in October, 1997.114 A girl named Sarah, who
Klebold home as their “country house.”88 In fact, Nate spent so knew Dylan from the theatre department, said that Dylan had a
much time at Dylan’s house that he said the Klebolds were like crush on her; though she did not return his romantic feelings,
a second set of parents to him.89 she was a friend of his and they had long email conversations at
Eric dated a number of girls in high school. He took Tiffany night.115 Dylan reportedly knew a girl who worked at a store in
on a double-date to the homecoming in freshman year.90 Valerie a local mall. She said that he came by to visit her ten to twelve
said she was Eric’s girlfriend in 1996.91 Sasha estimated she times and once asked her out.116
went on sixteen to twenty dates with Eric.92 Sherry dated Eric for Dylan was friends with a girl named Devon; he went to her
about three weeks93, and another girl estimated she dated Eric birthday party and visited her house several times.117 Dylan
maybe three times.94 Eric dated Kathryn once.95 A few nights also went to the mall with Joanne and helped her with her
before the attack, a girl named Susan spent the evening at Eric’s homework.118 Dylan also made a good impression on other
house; they watched a movie and he put his arm around her girls. Amanda said Dylan used to joke around and was kind
and gave her a goodnight kiss.96 of funny.119 Renee said that Dylan was nice and a “fun guy.”120
Besides dating, however, Eric had other female companion- Dylan was probably closest to Robyn, a girl with a 4.0 grade
ship. Early in high school, Jennifer H. used to go to the mall point average who was in the National Honor Society. Robyn
and to parties with Eric, but this stopped in tenth grade.97 Kim, invited him to the senior prom as a friend, and Dylan, though
a girl in school, regularly gave him hugs in the morning. When initially reluctant, did go with her. He and Robyn went to the
Eric complained that he looked “stupid” in his class photos, prom in a limo with five other couples. Robyn said she typically
Kim and another friend, Sara, told him that he was “cute” and called Dylan three times a week, and hung out at his house
helped him pick out his photos. When Eric complained that where they played pool and watched movies. They also studied
other girls avoided him, Kim and Sara invited him to hang out calculus together.121 Thus, he had significant contact with at
with them.98 Two other girls, Kristi and Alyssa, also invited Eric least a couple of girls, including Sarah and Robyn, as well as be-
to hang out with them and get together outside of school. Kristi ing friends and engaging in activities with a number of others.
and Eric also wrote each other notes in class, and Eric asked
her for advice about girls.99 Kristi and Alyssa had been to his Community and school activities
house twice to take him out with them.100 Eric had an active life outside of school, including a couple
Eric was also friends with Robyn, and she had been to his of part-time jobs. He worked briefly at Tortilla Wraps, where
house. Robyn bought him a shirt for his birthday shortly before his boss stated “He was a real nice kid . . . He was kind of quiet
the attack, and he attended her birthday party in March, 1999.101 but everyone got along with him.”122 He also was friends with
A couple of weeks before the attack, Eric went to lunch with a girl named Jen who worked at Tortilla Wraps. He and Jen

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engaged in long email conversations.123 Chad said he worked “The Fighting Amish.”141
with Dylan at Tortilla Wraps.124 Eric and Dylan joined their friends in a number of fantasy
Eric’s long-term employment, however, was at Blackjack’s, games. There was a group of twelve boys involved in a fantasy
a pizza shop. He and Dylan started there in the spring of their baseball league, and Dylan was highly active in this group.
sophomore years, and they worked there until their deaths A boy named Chad ran the league; Eric’s and Dylan’s friend
(though Dylan left for awhile and returned).125 Several of their Timothy was also part of the league. According to Timothy, he
best friends also worked there, including Nate and Chris (their and Dylan talked daily. In fact, they spoke on the telephone two
bowling team members), Kim and Sara (who invited Eric to days before the attack. Besides Chad and Timothy, the other
hang out with them), Phil, Zach, Michelle, and Charles.126 The boys were Adam, Cliff, Ben, Dan P., Jason S., Jason F., Justin,
friends often got rowdy and had wild times at work. Eric and Chris H., and Dan H.142
Dylan would light fires behind the shop, and set off fireworks The same Chad who ran the fantasy baseball league also
or homemade explosives. They also had playful fights, throwing assisted Eric and Dylan with their interest in fireworks. Chad
water and flour at each other, though Dylan reportedly was too drove to Wyoming with Nate to get fireworks for Dylan.143
inhibited to join in.127 When Eric said his final goodbyes on the A girl who knew Eric and Dylan from a local mall said that
Basement Tapes, he mentioned several friends from the pizza they played something called Live Action Role Play.144 Another
shop, including Jason, Chris, Angel, Phil, and Bob.128 girl said that she had played Dungeons and Dragons with Eric
Dylan also worked briefly at Computer Renaissance.129 several times.145 Eric and Dylan were highly involved with video
Dylan and Eric were both part of the Rebel News Network at games; they not only played with each other, but with various
the school. Dylan was also an assistant in the computer lab friends from school, including David, Jeffrey, Greg, and Dustin
and was involved in the theatre department, where he handled G.146
technical aspects of the productions.130 Dylan attended a cast Eric and Dylan frequently went bowling on Friday nights
party for at least one of the shows he was involved with.131 Eric with a regular group of friends, including Robyn, Eric (another
also was an assistant in the school’s computer/video lab.132 Eric besides Eric Harris), Chris M., Kristi, Zach, Monica, Jen-
Dylan, Zach, and Chris T. worked together to maintain the nifer L., Charles, and perhaps others.147 Another peer reported
school’s web server.133 Eric and Dylan took video production that he and Dylan used to belong to the same church youth
classes at school and made several short films. They worked on group, and Dylan once noted in his journal that a church ac-
these with a number of friends, including Michael, Chris W., tivity had been fun.148 On a different note, Eric and Dylan had
and Eric V.134 Yet another Eric, Eric J., said he was good friends friends with whom they went shooting. These friends included
with Dylan. Dylan was at his house the day before the attack to Mark Manes and Phil Duran, the only two people to go to jail
work on a video project.135 in the wake of Columbine (they had bought some of the guns
used in the attack), and a girl named Jesse.149 Other friends in-
Sports and games cluded Patrick, Kristen, Ryan, Nathan, and Jordana.150 Eric and
Interestingly, given all the attention to the topic of jocks, Dylan were both present at a friend’s birthday party in August,
there has been little notice of the fact that Eric was a jock. Be- 1998.151 A boy named Tad said that Eric and Dylan were two
sides playing in Little League when he was younger, Eric was a of his best friends.152
serious soccer player. He played in a local league for six years,
right into his senior year of high school. In addition, he played Summary
on the Columbine soccer team as a freshman and sophomore.136 Considering all the activities Eric and Dylan were involved
Thus, Eric was a Columbine jock. A boy named Scott was good in with their friends, including soccer, paint-ball, bowling, Dun-
friends with Eric from a soccer team.137 It was also reported that geons and Dragons, fantasy baseball, video games, making
Eric played both after-school soccer and volleyball.138 movies, smoking pot, drinking, raising a ruckus at the pizza
Eric took pride in his athletic ability and wrote about it in shop, and more, it is clear that these were not two isolated boys.
glowing terms: They had jobs, they helped out at school, and they had multiple
peer groups that included numerous boys and girls. The idea
In sports, I have been known to play soccer, baseball, foot-
that they were lost and alone simply isn’t true. This, however,
ball, and even mountain biking. In the sport of soccer, I
simply makes the attack harder to comprehend.
have played as an offensive and defensive player . . . I have
proven myself to be a superb player in both positions. As
for baseball, I was an excellent outfielder and excellent The Harassment of Eric and Dylan
second baseman.139
Perhaps the most pervasive view of the incident at Columbine is
Dylan was less athletic than Eric, but he did enjoy sports. He that two victimized students retaliated against their tormentors.
played briefly on one of the soccer teams with Eric.140 Besides How victimized were they? Though it is impossible to answer
their involvement with traditional sports, Eric and Dylan, along that question definitively, let’s review the JCSO documents for
with their buddy Chris M., belonged to a paint-ball team called evidence.

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 Several sources stated that Eric was picked on more than What about the evidence from Eric’s journal and other
Dylan. Dylan’s parents reported to law enforcement officials writings? Though he mentioned being teased in two journal
that Dylan told them that though Eric was picked on, he was entries,167 he never wrote about being physically harassed or
not. Dylan attributed his lack of harassment to the fact that he threatened. To digress for a moment, the two times that Eric
was six feet and four inches tall.153 This was supported by a boy complained about being picked on are so psychologically in-
named Chris, one of Eric and Dylan’s closest friends, who said teresting that they deserve a comment. In the first entry, he
that Eric was picked on more than Dylan.154 complained that, “Everyone is always making fun of me because
One student stated when Eric and Dylan were juniors, there of how I look.”168 Eric went on to write, “Then again, I have
had been a group of jocks who were seniors who teased them; always hated how I looked, I make fun of people who look like
because this group graduated, however, Eric and Dylan were me, sometimes without even thinking sometimes just because
teased a lot less in their senior year. Another peer also stated I want to rip on myself.”169 Having just complained of being
that Eric and Dylan had been teased more in their junior year teased about his looks, Eric acknowledged that he also made fun
than in their senior year.155 of people who looked like him. In other words, he admitted to
So how bad was the harassment of Eric and Dylan? They engaging in the very behavior that he was complaining about.
were teased about their clothes, particularly when they wore A similar pattern occurs in the next entry. Eric again com-
trench coats on hot days.156 One student who reported this plained about the kids who picked on him, but also wrote, “Then
stated that the teasing about the trench coats was mild. There again it’s human nature to do what you did.”170 He seems to
was a report that Dylan was teased in gym because he was not almost be exonerating his peers for simply acting as humans
good at sports. There were also reports that because of his do. Both times he wrote about being picked on, Eric appears
height he was sometimes called “Stretch” or “Jolly Green Giant,” to withdraw or counteract his own complaint by stating he has
though it’s not clear if the names were derogatory or playful.157 engaged in the same behavior or that it is human nature to
Eric was also teased in gym, reportedly for not being good engage in such behavior.
at sports. One student reported that he had teased Eric relent- There is no question that Eric and Dylan were teased, but
lessly; this individual, however, had graduated the year before the frequency and severity of the reported harassment is not at
the attack.158 Eric was also teased because he supposedly had a all clear. Many students reported not witnessing any harassment
big head on a thin body; this student, however, had left school of Eric or Dylan. For example, a girl named Lisa said that she
the previous year.159 He also noted that he teased many people, never saw either one being picked on.171 Neither did Mandy.172
not just Eric. Another student said that Eric was occasionally Neither did Steve.173 Sarah commented that she never saw them
harassed by jocks.160 Someone else said that Eric was teased, being teased, adding that people tended to just leave them alone
but not as much as other students.161 because they were different.174 Keith said that he never saw
There was one report about food being thrown at Eric, but Dylan being harassed.175 Deborah specifically noted that there
this witness seemed to think Eric was part of the Trench Coat were no problems between Dylan and the jocks in class.176 Brian
Mafia (TCM); he may have confused what was done to the TCM stated that Dylan was not picked on by jocks.177 Sara M., one of
with how Eric was treated.162 One student said that Eric was Eric’s good friends, said that he was not harassed.178 Another
occasionally harassed by jocks.163 There was also a report that girl, Melissa, commented that Eric was not harassed, and added
teachers did not intervene when Eric and Dylan were harassed that he had many friends.179 Robyn, the girl who invited Dylan
in class.164 Given Eric and Dylan’s ability to alienate people in to the prom, who spent a great deal of time with him, who called
class, especially Dylan’s disruptive and inappropriate behavior him three times a week just to talk, said that Dylan never talked
(discussed below), it is possible that some of this “harassment” about being abused by anybody.180
was a normal response to their weird, provocative, and annoy- What does this evidence reveal? Eric and Dylan were teased
ing behavior. about a number of things, but given the number of people who
The one detailed report of Eric being victimized comes from reported not witnessing any mistreatment, the teasing does not
a student who was in gym class with him in the first semester appear to have been as pervasive as has often been reported.
of senior year. The student testimony stated: “We were playing There were students who described the teasing as mild, noting
‘Biff’ (like dodge ball, but every man for himself ). Eric won that other kids were picked on more than Eric and Dylan. There
the first game, but the second game some jocks ganged up on are multiple sources that indicated the teasing had been worse
him and were hitting him in the face with balls. Then after the previous year. Also, only one incident of physical harass-
gym they were pushing him into lockers.”165 This was the only ment toward Eric was identified, with no incidents of physical
specific incident of physical harassment that I found among harassment of Dylan having been reported.
the student testimonies. The question that has received comparatively little atten-
Another student from the same gym class reported not tion is: how much of the teasing Eric and Dylan received was
witnessing any harassment of Eric in gym.166 This suggests in response to their own alienating behavior and mistreatment
that despite the one incident just noted, there was no ongoing of peers and teachers?
harassment of Eric in that class.

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Creating Their Own Social Environment bail him out of trouble that he had started himself.195 One boy
was so harassed and threatened by Dylan that the boy’s parents
How much did Eric and Dylan alienate their peers? Reporters had to get the administration to intervene.196 In his book, Ralph
were told, “Their peers thought them weird,” and “Harris and Larkin interviewed a girl who appears to be this boy’s sister
Klebold had a way of pushing other kids away from them . . . (Larkin referred to her only by initials). She reported that Eric
It was kind of them pushing themselves away.”181 This was and Dylan “would follow my brother around and threaten they
supported by another classmate who had the impression that were going to kill him.”197 The harassment lasted for one to
“Eric and Dylan seemed to relish their roles as outsiders . . . ‘The two months:
impression I always got from them was they kind of wanted
to be outcasts . . . It wasn’t that they were labeled that way. It’s My brother said that they’d be outside of a good majority
what they chose to be.’”182 of his classes; they’d follow him to the next one. He said
it seemed like they were always there, and that he didn’t
Eric and Dylan’s har assing behavior want to go to school because he was outright scared of
Eric and Dylan had a history of harassing other students. them, and he was in tears when he told my mom that he
As far back as eighth grade, the two boys (along with others), didn’t want to go to school because of these kids.198
sent a girl a threatening letter.183 In ninth grade a girl went on (This one example shows that Eric and Dylan engaged in
a date with Eric, but declined further dates. Eric’s reaction was an ongoing pattern of bullying behavior. Ironically, none of the
to fake a suicide in front of her, pretending to have bashed his interviews in the JCSO documents provides similar evidence that
head in with a rock, and covering himself with fake blood.184 An- Eric or Dylan were victims of such a pattern of intimidating and
other girl who dated Eric and then broke up with him said that threatening behavior. This does not mean that they were not
after the break-up she received threatening emails.185 It takes victims of bullying, but it does show the difficulty in identifying
no stretch of the imagination to think that the girls who were reliable documentation that they were.)
thus victimized talked to their friends about these incidents, There is also a report of how they made fun of another class-
and Eric’s reputation likely became darker with each episode. mate, someone who apparently had been a friend of theirs.199
In fact, one girl Eric was interested in reportedly was afraid Dylan’s journal contains passages about how he struggled not
of him.186 Another refused to return his calls, commenting to ridicule and make fun of people at school.200 He also wrote
that he seemed a little “evil.”187 Another girl went out with him in Eric’s yearbook about how much fun they had picking on
briefly, but then stopped returning his calls because he was “fags.”201 Eric and Dylan clearly harassed other students.
“weird.”188 Thus, Eric’s behavior was responsible for numerous
episodes of rejection. Disturbing behavior in class
Multiple students reported that Eric and Dylan picked on In class, Eric and Dylan reportedly “made fun of teachers
people and started fights. Keith said that Eric and Dylan both and students behind their backs and even to their faces, es-
picked on people, and that Dylan almost got into a physical pecially those who were computer illiterate. They rolled their
fight with him.189 A boy named Seth said that Dylan picked a eyes at classmates’ stupid questions.”202 In bowling class, they
fight with a jock.190 In their junior year, Eric and Dylan yelled at bowled in strange ways, as if shotputting or pitching the balls;
jocks.191 An athlete had problems with Eric and Dylan, and Eric this resulted in peers teasing them for their odd behavior.203 In
wanted to fight him.192 Another student said that Eric picked a psychology class, when studying dream interpretation, Eric and
fight with him the year before the attack.193 Dylan told the class the dreams they had about shooting and
Though it is tempting to assume that any hostility from killing people.204 One girl commented on the strange things
Eric toward jocks was simply retaliation, this is not necessarily Eric said, such as his talk about survival of the fittest, and that
true. Eric had towering rage and contempt toward people in if you are not fit you deserve to die.205 One student recalled that
general. The image of big strong jocks picking on little nerdy Dylan’s paper on Charles Manson was very “weird.”206
outcasts is not always accurate. Not all athletes are huge, and In their video classes, Eric and Dylan showed a film involv-
not all “outcasts” are little weaklings. Eric had many friends ing smashing a bicycle with a sledgehammer.207 Even more
who were well over six-feet tall, and some of them were danger- disturbing was their film called “Hitmen for Hire” about stu-
ous kids who carried weapons. The kids in trench coats could dents hiring people to kill the kids they didn’t like; the class was
be quite intimidating, even to students who were athletes. In not amused.208 One student said that Eric and Dylan showed a
fact, there are accounts of jocks being victimized by the Trench bizarre video (this may have been the “hitmen” video) in class
Coat Mafia.194 that the teacher and students found alarming; the teacher was
One classmate said that Eric often started fights and then said to be very angry regarding their project.209
expected his buddy Chris, who was bigger and stronger, to step According to a teacher, Eric’s behavior in gym class was
in and back him up. Chris said that during senior year Eric had notable for his making fun of freshmen.210 Dylan’s behavior
become more aggressive, and was picking more fights. Chris was even more problematic. Dylan not only cheated in gym,
was not happy about Eric’s trying to use him to back him up or but during co-ed flag-football games, he repeatedly got rough

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with girls and tackled them. When one girl told him to knock it things that made him different, Eric included “my anger man-
off, he became angry and bitter, and began calling her a “bitch” agement problems” as something that differentiated him from
and harassing her to the point that her boyfriend threatened other people.224 In another assignment, Eric compared himself
to beat him up.211 to Zeus: “Zeus and I also get angry easily and punish people
Dylan’s classroom behavior was poor in many ways. He in unusual ways.”225 As noted above, Eric became increasingly
frequently slept in class, came late, and/or sneaked out and left pugnacious toward the end of senior year, picking fights with
early.212 Even worse, he was disrespectful and insulting to his other people.226 Eric even snapped in anger at Dylan when
teachers, was disruptive and often asked to leave, slammed the Dylan “screwed up.”227
door on his way out, threw things, couldn’t get along with oth- Even a casual encounter with Eric could prove explosive.
ers, and swore openly.213 His behavior was so intimidating that Two different students reported that accidental bumps in the
one teacher reported being afraid of him.214 One of the school hallway with Eric led to anger, pushing, and even a threat that
administrators described Dylan as a very angry kid, comment- the student should “watch his back.”228 One of Eric’s favorite
ing that Dylan even cursed at him.215 bands was KMFDM and he had a cap with their logo on it. When
a girl tried to joke with him and asked “what station is that?”,
Eric’s temper Eric became highly agitated and uttered a veiled threat, saying
According to a classmate, “Eric had a short fuse . . . he “you just wait and see.”229 One student commented that some
got mad easier than most people.”216 Even at work, Eric was people simply didn’t dare talk to Eric or Dylan because you never
noted to get upset about things and to lose his temper easily knew what kind of response you would get.230
when talking to customers on the telephone.217 This tendency A number of people commented on Eric’s ability to give you
showed itself in his personal life, as well. Once when he was a look “like he could kill you.” One boy said that the way Eric
interested in a girl, he called her home; when her mother told stared at him was intimidating. Eric was said to have an “evil”
him that her daughter wasn’t home, Eric shocked her with his stare. A girl who turned Eric down for a date said that he gave
angry response.218 her a “malevolent” stare when they crossed paths on the morn-
Eric did not like to be crossed, and once he felt crossed by ing of the attack.231 In addition, Eric struck some people as usu-
someone, he did not easily get over it. This tendency to hold ally being angry or in a bad mood. One said that Eric appeared
grudges was noted by one of Eric’s employers, as well as by to always be angry.232 Another said that Eric was “moody.”233
Brooks’s mother, who stated, “Eric held grudges and he never Someone else said that Eric held grudges.234
let them go.”219 Eric, though friends with Brooks, at one point One of the most disturbing aspects of Eric was the intensity
became homicidally angry towards him. A similar situation of his wrath, not toward his enemies, but toward his friends.
occurred with another friend of Eric’s, named Nick. Despite Harassment by jocks wasn’t necessary for Eric to become homi-
their former friendship, after they had a falling out, Eric vandal- cidal. Just ask Brooks Brown.
ized both Brooks’s and Nick’s homes.220 Eric also pushed other Brooks regularly gave Eric a ride to school. Brooks, however,
friends away. A classmate named Ryan reported that Eric liked was not always punctual, which infuriated Eric. The situation
him in ninth grade, but not in tenth. Ryan said of Eric, “He just came to a head one day and Eric flew into a rage. This resulted
sort of changed . . . He wouldn’t say why. He would just sort of in the end of the friendship, but it didn’t stop there. Eric threw
give you this look like he could kill you.”221 Eric also had a falling a snowball or piece of ice that cracked a window in Brooks’s
out with Zach, who had been one of his best friends. Apparently car. The parents got involved. Brooks told Mr. Harris that Eric
Zach thought Eric’s pranks were getting out of hand, and this had liquor stashed in his room. Eric was beyond furious. On
was enough to alienate Eric. Zach’s mother said of Eric, “You his website, he wrote:
had to follow him or get away from him.”222
I will rig up explosives all over a town and detonate each
Eric was well aware of his problems with anger. When he
one of them at will after I mow down a whole fucking area
filled out an intake form for the Diversion program (designed
of you snotty ass rich mother fucking high strung godlike
to keep young offenders out of the legal system) on March 25,
attitude having worthless pieces of shit whores. I don’t
1998, he reported having problems with anger. His explanation
care if I live or die in the shootout, all I want to do is kill
was: “short temper, often get angry at almost anything I don’t
and injure as many of you pricks as I can, especially a few
like.” One or both of his parents also filled out a form and indi-
people. Like Brooks Brown.235
cated that Eric was having problems with anger. The parental
comment stated, “Eric seems to suppress his anger, then ‘blow If this is how Eric responded to conflict with his friends, he
up’ and hit something or verbally lash out. He hasn’t done this had no need of enemies to spark his homicidal wrath.
at home but has done it at school and work.” A page of notes
from the Diversion program documented that Eric reportedly Dylan’s temper
got so angry that he punched walls approximately four times Dylan had a problem with anger that was evident long before
a month.223 the attack. In fact, “Klebold was widely seen as volatile.”236 Even
In a school assignment where he had to list twenty-five his friend, Brooks said, “Dylan would just lose it.”237 His anger

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showed itself while bowling, at the pizza shop, and at school. seems they went out of their way to be provocative.
A classmate said of Dylan: “He did have a lot of anger, but Multiple students commented about Eric’s obsession with
he hid it most of the time. One time in bowling class, he got so guns and bombs. One said that Eric’s life revolved around guns
pissed he slammed his fist down on the ball return. It freaked — that it was all he ever talked about.256 Another said that he
me out.”238 Another girl said that Dylan scared her by the way deliberately avoided Eric and Dylan because of their frequent
he looked at her.239 Michelle, who worked with Dylan at the talk about bombs and shooting people.257 Yet another friend
pizza shop, described him as someone who was often rude and said he stopped associating with Eric and Dylan as their inter-
was difficult to get along with. She once talked to Dylan about ests became “darker.”258 A student who used to be friends with
an infraction he had committed at work, and in response he them said that the friendship diminished as Eric and Dylan
hit her.240 Another colleague from the pizza shop reported that changed.259
Dylan would get angry.241 At least eight students referred to Eric and/or Dylan as
As noted above, a female classmate said that Dylan’s behav- “weird.”260 Others called one or both of them “rude,” “annoy-
ior was highly problematic in gym class: ing,” “strange,” “paranoid,” “messed up,” and “unstable.”261 A
co-worker from the pizza shop said that Eric was a nice guy who
She said Klebold had a habit of shoving girls to the ground,
was angry with life.262 A friend of Eric’s said that Eric could be
even tackling them, during flag-football games. Finally,
nice, but when playing video games he was a “sadistic prick.”263
she yelled at him to knock it off, and he turned on her.
Another student said Eric was “psycho.”264 Someone else said
“He was like a loner in that class,” she said. “Nobody liked
that Eric “lost touch with reality.”265
him. And he hated me, because I yelled at him. And then
he started bothering me, calling me a bitch and basically
Illegal/antisocial behavior
yelling at me and stuff.”242
The most serious crimes that Eric and Dylan committed
Mr. and Mrs. Klebold recognized this side of Dylan. They were related to, and culminated in, the attack on the school.
described him as often being angry, sullen, disrespectful, and These included the illegal possession of firearms and explosives,
intolerant of others.243 sawing the barrels off of guns (a felony), and of course, homi-
Some students perceived Dylan as being chronically angry cide. These were not the only criminal acts they committed,
and irritable. One said that he always had “that grumpy stare on however. Eric and Dylan engaged in a variety of illegal behaviors,
his face.”244 Another described him as always having a “hateful though they were only arrested once.
look” or a “sneer” on his face.245 Someone else said that Dylan Their one arrest occurred on January 30, 1998, after they
was “mean and sarcastic.”246 broke the window of an electrician’s van and stole electrical
equipment. They were caught and confessed. This was not
Alienating their peers their only antisocial behavior, however. Eric and Dylan (and
Numerous students commented on Eric and Dylan’s preoc- sometimes Zach) went on nocturnal “Rebel Missions” in which
cupation with Nazi ideology. One police interview report said they committed vandalism and acts of mischief. They set off
that Eric “admired” Hitler, two others said that Eric and Dylan fireworks and small explosives. They stole street signs. They
“idolized” Hitler, and yet another said that they “worshipped” targeted the houses of people that Eric didn’t like. They set
Hitler.247 Eric and Dylan not only talked about Hitler, but report- off firecrackers on people’s lawns, put glue in the locks of the
edly sported swastikas, though some reports have denied this. house, left eggs to rot, and put toilet paper in trees. They also
According to students, however, Dylan painted a swastika on “messed” with people’s telephone lines.266 Because some stu-
his face during Spirit Week, and both boys had swastika patches dents at school knew about these activities,267 it is possible that
on their coats and/or backpacks.248 The boys talked about their many students knew. This could have contributed significantly
Nazi beliefs, told racist jokes, made frequent racial remarks, and to people’s dislike of Eric and Dylan.
talked about wanting to kill blacks and Jews.249 Students also Eric and Dylan made their presence in the community
reported that in bowling class, when Eric and Dylan did well, known in other ways. A security officer at a local shopping
they gave Nazi salutes and said “Sieg Heil” or “Heil Hitler;” center had an encounter with a young man named Eric Harris
Eric was teased by his peers about this behavior.250 One of Eric and two of his friends, all wearing long, black coats; what the
and Dylan’s best friends commented that they started acting boys did to come to the attention of security is not known.268
like skinheads or people following Hitler.251 Elsewhere in town, a security officer witnessed Eric and Dylan
In addition to the swastika patches, both boys reportedly had spray painting graffiti on his brother’s pawnshop. The graffiti
patches that said “serial killer.”252 They also wore Soviet insignia. said “Death to Pigs” and “Nazis Rule.”269 The officer said that
When asked why he wore this, Eric said it was to get a reac- one of them had a gun, and they got away in a black BMW,
tion.253 On the day of the attack, Dylan wore a Soviet insignia; which is the kind of car Dylan drove. Eric loved to set fires and
the autopsy report noted a red star medallion with a hammer did so frequently behind the pizza shop where he worked.270
and sickle on one of his shoes.254 Finally, it was reported that On at least one occasion, the fire got out of control and the fire
Eric showed up at a Halloween party as the Unabomber.255 It department had to put it out.271

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 Eric, Dylan, and Zach also got in trouble at school in their Dylan had numerous friends and acquaintances of both sexes
junior year. They reportedly wanted to put nasty or threatening and were involved in a variety of activities with their peers,
notes in the lockers of other students, so they hacked into the Eric and Dylan were not harassed to the extent that is often
school’s computer system to find out the locker combinations stated, and their own behavior gave people reasons to avoid or
they wanted. They were caught and suspended. Dylan was also dislike them.
suspended for defacing the locker of a student that he didn’t The reality of Columbine was complex. Eric and Dylan had
like.272 Eric and Dylan stole computer equipment from the many friends and participated in numerous activities. Eric and
school.273 A former Columbine student told law enforcement Dylan were feared or disliked by many peers. They teased and
that Eric had stolen his or her “discman player.”274 harassed students, and they were teased and harassed by stu-
There is evidence that Eric committed credit card fraud, dents. In addition, an awareness of the extent of Eric and Dylan’s
but the details are unknown. In one of the videos he made with problematic behavior is essential to understanding their social
Dylan, one of them mentions credit card fraud and Eric report- interactions at school and how their peers viewed them. Finally,
edly raised his hand, apparently admitting that he was guilty of recognizing the history and variety of their misbehavior helps to
it.275 Zach appears to have been the mastermind of the credit put the attack in context. Eric and Dylan were not two innocent,
card fraud. The police confiscated his computer and found many well-behaved young men who were driven to violence by teasing.
credit card numbers on it. Among these was one belonging to a They were seriously disturbed individuals.
teacher at Columbine; there was also an apology to the teacher
for having committed fraud with his credit card.276
The boys broke numerous laws regarding guns and ex- Notes
plosives. They used friends who were over eighteen years old
to buy guns for them. Not only was this illegal, but two of the The notes beginning with “JC” are from the 27,000 pages of doc-
friends they manipulated ended up going to jail after the attack. uments compiled by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO),
Once they had the guns, Eric and Dylan sawed off the barrels the legal authority in charge of the Columbine investigation.
and stocks, which is a felony. They not only built and tested Most of these pages are available online or from JCSO. Eric’s and
bombs, another illegal activity, but many people knew of their Dylan’s journals were handwritten; the quotations from them are
activities with explosives.277 my transcription. Autopsy reports and Diversion Documents can
Considering that between the two of them, Eric and Dylan be found at www.dylanklebold.com, or directions on obtaining
spoke openly about Hitler, gave Nazi salutes, made racist re- them can be found at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office web-
marks, talked about killing blacks and Jews, made a movie about site: www.co.jefferson.co.us/sheriff/.
killing students, were disrespectful to teachers and insulting
to peers, shared their dreams of shooting and killing people, 1
Prendergast, Alan. “Doom Rules: Much of What We Think We
disrupted class, cursed at teachers, had intimidating tempers, Know about Columbine Is Wrong.” Westword, August 5, 1999;
www.westword.com/issues/1999-08-05/feature2_full.html.
harassed and threatened other students, cheated in gym, made
fun of other students, called people “fags,” tackled girls, faked a 2
Cullen, Dave. “The Depressive and the Psychopath: At Last We
Know Why the Columbine Killers Did It.” Slate, April 20, 2004
suicide to get back at a girl, hit a woman at work, vandalized the (sidebar to article); http://www.slate.com/id/2099203/side-
homes of former friends, committed theft and burglary, bought bar/2099208/.
firearms illegally and went shooting with them, and built and 3
Imse, Ann, Lynn Bartels, and Dick Foster. “Killers’ Double Life
detonated bombs — is it any wonder that they were not accepted Fooled Many.” Denver Rocky Mountain News, April 25, 1999; http://
in the mainstream of peer culture? denver.rockymountainnews.com/shooting/0425shool.shtml.
4
Cannon, Angie, Streisand, Betsy & McGraw, Dan. (1999, May 3).
“Why Teens Kill.” U.S. News and World Report, 126 (17), 16-19.
Summary 5
JC-10,826 to 10,827.
6
JC-26,113.

To summarize this article, several points can be made. First, 7

JC-25,730.
reports cannot be taken at face value or assumed to be accurate. 8
JC-3,420.
In investigating Columbine, it is essential to look for incon- 9
JC-10,826 to 10,827.
sistencies and contradictory information. Much of what has 10 JC-10,511.
appeared in the media regarding Eric and Dylan is simply not 11 Duggan, Paul, Michael Shear, and Marc Fisher. “Shooter Pair
Mixed Fantasy, Reality.” Washington Post, April 22, 1999; www.
reliable information. The first section of the article illustrated
washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/april99/ sus-
this point with examples of erroneous reports from students pects042299.htm.
who did not actually know Eric and Dylan. 12 JC-3,212; 6,287; 10,621.
The second section made several points: the attack was not 13 JC-6,135; 6,612.
targeted toward particular individuals or groups, Eric had many 14 JC-5,052.
reasons besides retaliation for wanting to kill people, Eric and

www.schoolshooters.info Copyright © 2008 by Peter Langman, Ph.D.  Version 2.2 (31 July 2014)  12
 15 JC-4,827. 57 JC-26,006.
16 Cullen, Dave. “The Rumor that Won’t Go Away: Jocks Say Littleton 58 JC-26,009.
Killers Were Gay, but Friends Deny It.” Salon, April 24, 1999; 59 JC-26,009.
www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/04/24/rumors/print.html.
60 JC-26,010.
17 JC-5,673; JC-6,107.
61 JC-26,012.
18 Cullen, “The Rumor.”
62 JC-26,013.
19 Gibbs, Nancy, and Timothy Roche. “The Columbine Tapes.” Time
Magazine, December 20, 1999; www.time.com/time/magazine/ 63 JC-26,016.
article/0,9171,992873,00.html. 64 JC-26,014.
20 Columbine Review Commission. The Report of Governor Bill Ow- 65 Cullen, “The Depressive and the Psychopath.”
ens’ Columbine Review Commission, Denver, Colorado, 2001; www. 66 Prendergast, “Doom Rules.”
state.co.us/columbine/.
67 JC-10,133.
21 Luzadder, Dan, and Kevin Vaughan. “Amassing the Facts: Bonded
68 JC-18,497.
by Tragedy, Officers Probe Far, Wide for Answers.” Denver Rocky
Mountain News, December 13, 1999; http://denver.rockymountain- 69 JC-4,436.
news.com/shooting/1213col1.shtml. 70 JC-10,754.
22 Gibbs & Roche, “The Columbine Tapes”; Columbine Review Com- 71 JC-10,720.
mission. 72 JC-2,232 to 2,236.
23 JC-10,376. 73 JC-10,727; 10,836.
24 Cullen, Dave. “New Clues in Columbine Killings.” Salon, Novem- 74 JC-8,796.
ber 22, 2000; http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2000/11/22/
columbine/print.html. 75 Harris, Art. “From Little League to Madness: Portraits of Littleton
Shooters.” CNN, April 30, 1999; www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1998/
25 Prendergast, “Doom Rules.” schools/they.hid.it.well/index.html.
26 Gibbs & Roche, “The Columbine Tapes.” 76 Brown & Merritt, No Easy Answers; JC-10,510.
27 JC-26,344. 77 JC-1,779.
28 JC-10,412. 78 JC-5,282; 23,546.
29 Prendergast, “Doom Rules.” 79 Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, 1997 Documents, p. 7.
30 JC-785. 80 JC-10,616.
31 JC-26,317. 81 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
32 JC-26,323. 82 JC-561.
33 JC-26,331. 83 JC-3,421.
34 JC-26,325. 84 JC-6,400 to 6,401.
35 Eric Harris Diversion Documents, p. 55. 85 JC-6,250.
36 JC-10,415. 86 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
37 JC-26,013. 87 JC-10,509.
38 JC-26,343. 88 Belluck & Wilgoren, “Parents’ Agony.”
39 JC-26,343. 89 JC-10,694.
40 JC-10,415. 90 JC-19,017; Brown & Merritt, No Easy Answers, p. 56; Harris, “From
41 JC-26,344 Little League.”
42 JC-10,415. 91 JC-19,141.
43 http://columbine.free2host.net/quotes.html. 92 JC-17,411.
44 JC-26,011. 93 JC-22,258.
45 JC-26,006. 94 JC-18,523.
46 JC-26,007. 95 JC-1,221.
47 JC-26,013. 96 JC-6,196.
48 JC-26,012. 97 JC-4,964.
49 JC-26,012. 98 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
50 JC-26,010. 99 JC-10,719.
51 JC-26,012. 100 JC-10,722.
52 JC-10,415. 101 JC-10,621; 10,628; 10,765.
53 JC-10,415. 102 JC-22,854; 3,131; 22,166.
54 JC-10,415. 103 Prendergast, “Doom Rules.”
55 JC-10,415. 104 JC-4,084.
56 JC-10,415. 105 JC-4,870.

www.schoolshooters.info Copyright © 2008 by Peter Langman, Ph.D.  Version 2.2 (31 July 2014)  13
 106 JC-6,768. 152 Griego, Tina, Ann Imse, and Lynn Bartels, “Quiet Loners Worried
107 JC-5226; 5,276. Other Students,” Denver Rocky Mountain News, 4/21/99. http://
denver.rockymountainnews.com/shooting/0421bda04.shtml.
108 Brown & Merritt, No Easy Answers, p. 123.
153 JC-10,509.
109 JC-20,028.
154 JC-10,834.
110 JC-20,028; 835 to 836.
155 JC-16,418; JC-5,085.
111 JC-24,385; 6,844.
156 JC-566; 785; 2,961; 6,576; 5,701; 7,261.
112 JC-6,774; 6,776.
157 JC-736; 4,827.
113 JC-21,114.
158 JC-19,710.
114 JC-17,411.
159 JC-10,273.
115 JC-4436; Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
160 JC-3,896.
116 JC-19,694.
161 JC-4,454.
117 JC-10,618.
162 JC-10,853.
118 JC-5,041.
163 JC-3,896.
119 JC-5,082.
164 JC-6,577.
120 JC-6,718 to 6,719.
165 JC-1,290.
121 JC-12,271; 10,622; 10,629; 10,626.
166 JC-3,788.
122 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
167 JC-26,014, JC-26,015.
123 JC-20,207.
168 JC-26,014.
124 JC-18,495.
169 JC-26,014.
125 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
170 JC-26,015.
126 JC-10,142; 10,146; 10,148; 10,202; 10,150; 10,159.
171 JC-1,663 to 1,664.
127 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
172 JC-3,907.
128 JC-10,375.
173 JC-4,650.
129 JC-3,247; 9,173.
174 JC-2,813.
130 JC-5,528; JC-493; Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
175 JC-1,069.
131 JC-6,719.
176 JC-6,271.
132 JC-328.
177 JC-5,647.
133 JC-5,421.
178 JC-5,036.
134 JC-7,328; 10,909 to 10,911.
179 JC-5,995.
135 JC-10,770.
180 JC-12,271.
136 Carnahan, Ann. “Hatred for Jocks Stuns Harris’ Ex-Teammate.”
Denver Rocky Mountain News, May 2, 1999; http://denver.rocky- 181 Duggan, Shear, & Fisher, “Shooter Pair Mixed Fantasy.”
mountainnews.com/shooting/0502soc80.shtml; Anton, Mike, 182 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
and Lisa Ryckman. “In Hindsight, Signs to Killings Obvious.” 183 JC-17,957.
Denver Rocky Mountain News, May 2, 1999; http://denver.rocky-
mountainnews.com/shooting/0502why10.shtml. 184 Brown & Merritt, No Easy Answers, p. 56; Harris, “From Little
League.”
137 JC-5,085.
185 JC-17,411.
138 JC-2,230.
186 JC-1,223.
139 JC-26,548.
187 JC-10,280.
140 JC-4,650.
188 JC-10,277 to 10,278.
141 JC-3,213.
189 JC-1,069 to 1,070.
142 JC-955; 3,419; 3,420; 20,313; 3,419.
190 JC-2,476.
143 JC-18,495.
191 JC-7,068.
144 JC-18,154.
192 JC-7,260.
145 JC-23,128.
193 JC-19,326.
146 JC-5,125; 7,043; 24,242; 10,755; 5,468; Cullen, “The rumor.”
194 JC-763; 885 to 886; 1,090; 2,080; 5,907; 8,841; 5,117.
147 JC-6,768; 10,623; 10,634; 10,636; 10,719; 10,755; 19,876; Prend-
ergast, “Doom rules.” 195 JC-8,897; JC-10,838.
148 JC-4,683; 26,401. 196 JC-247.
149 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship”; JC-10,153. 197 Ralph Larkin, Comprehending Columbine, Temple University Press,
Philadelphia, PA, 2007, p. 92.
150 JC-12,277; 7,172; 18,154; 20,786; Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friend-
ship.” 198 Larkin, Comprehending Columbine, p. 93.

151 JC-6,401. 199 JC-10, 616.

200 JC-26,388; 26,396.

www.schoolshooters.info Copyright © 2008 by Peter Langman, Ph.D.  Version 2.2 (31 July 2014)  14
 201 JC-26,238. 239 JC-25,053.
202 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.” 240 JC-10,150.
203 Wilgoren, Jodi, and Dirk Johnson. “Sketch of 2 Killers: Contra- 241 JC-10,148.
dictions and Confusion.” New York Times, April 23, 1999; www. 242 Duggan, Shear, & Fisher, “Shooter Pair Mixed Fantasy.”
rickross.com/reference/shootings/shootings7.html; JC-2,150; 785.
243 Dylan Klebold Diversion Documents, p. 19.
204 Prendergast, Alan. “Back to School: The Bullet in the Backpack
and Other Columbine Mysteries.” Westword, October 25, 2001; 244 JC-2,456.
www.westword.com/2001-10-25/news/back-to-school/; JC-6,576. 245 JC-4,827.
205 JC-6,106. 246 JC-1,074.
206 JC-3,907. 247 JC-3,532; 6,576; 420; 1,664.
207 JC-7,079. 248 JC-248; 1,664; 1,070.
208 JC-1,324. 249 JC-10,727; 10,150; 3,532; 10,755; 10,770; 1,700 to 1,701.
209 JC-10,542. 250 JC-5,404; 5,946; 988; 2,150; 16,418.
210 JC-1,090. 251 JC-10,039.
211 JC-7,380; 7,416; 23,450. 252 JC-1,221.
212 JC-20,321; 5,100; 2,456; 5,598; 10,624. 253 JC-10,793; Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
213 JC-5,931; 8,888; 8,892; 5,036; 7,214. 254 Autopsy of Dylan Klebold (see http://acolumbinesite.com/autop-
214 JC-5,179. sies/dylan2.gif ).
215 JC-5,707. 255 JC-4,964.
216 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.” 256 JC-770.
217 JC-10,149; 10,157. 257 JC-7,312.
218 JC-10,207. 258 JC-6,576.
219 JC-10,490; Brown & Merritt, No Easy Answers, p. 75. 259 JC-6,623.
220 Brown & Merritt, No Easy Answers; JCSO 1997. 260 JC-1,593; 5,327; 7,043; 6,624; 19,965; 7,078; 4,827; 10,277 to
10,278.
221 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
261 JC-5,404; 7,216; 6,719; 16,607; 10,150; 6,230; 5,946.
222 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship.”
262 JC-10,150.
223 Eric Harris Diversion Documents, p. 39.
263 JC-6,230.
224 JC-26,187.
264 JC-7,161.
225 JC- 26,770.
265 JC-1,780.
226 JC-10,838.
266 JCSO 1997; JC-6,623.
227 JC-10,513.
267 JC-10,616; 6,623.
228 JC-2,038; 2,522.
268 JC-17,548.
229 JC-6,001 to 6,002.
269 JC-19,642.
230 JC-483.
270 JC-10,155 to 10,156.
231 Bartels & Crowder, “Fatal Friendship”; JC-6,140; 5,528; 19,235.
271 JC-10,151.
232 JC-1,593.
272 Dylan Klebold Diversion Documents, p. 18; JC-5,706.
233 JC-5,003.
273 JC-10,696 to 10,697; 10,718.
234 JC-10,170.
274 JC-18,306.
235 JCSO 1998 Columbine Documents, p. 7.
275 JC-10,381.
236 Duggan, Shear, & Fisher, “Shooter Pair Mixed Fantasy.”
276 JC-12,039; JC-,040.
237 Vaughan, Kevin, and Lynn Bartels. “Brutal Klebold Emerges in
Accounts.” Denver Rocky Mountain News, June 6, 1999; http:// 277 JCSO 1997 Documents; JC-2,232 to 2,233; 7,312; 1,451; 8,888; 9,823;
denver.rockymountainnews.com/shooting/0606dyl1.shtml. 10,040; 10,143; 10,145; 10,151; 10,153 to 10,154; 10,159; 10,184;
10,426; 10,431 to 10,432.
238 Prendergast, “Doom Rules.”

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