Famous April 20

"There is nothing that anyone could have done to prevent this. No one is to blame except me and Vodka."
Eric Harris

"You know what I hate ? Star Wars fans: get a friggin life, you boring geeks. You know what I hate? People who mispronounce words, like 'acrost,' and 'pacific' for 'specific,' and 'expresso' instead of 'espresso.' You know what I hate? People who drive slow in the fast lane, God these people do not know how to drive. You know what I hate? The WB network!!!! Oh Jesus, Mother of God Almighty, I hate that channel with all my heart and soul."
- Excerpt from Eric Harris' diary



The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday April 20, in Colorado, near Denver and Littleton.
Two teenage students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, carried out a shooting rampage, killing 12 fellow students and a teacher, as well as wounding 24 others, before committing suicide.
It is considered to be the deadliest school shooting, and the second deadliest attack on a school in United States history after the Bath School disaster.
The massacre provoked debate regarding gun control laws and the availability of firearms in the United States. Much discussion also centered on the nature of high school and bullying, as well as the role of violent movies and video games in American society.
Several of the victims who were believed to have been killed for their religious beliefs became a source of inspiration to others, notably, and led some to lament the decline of religion in public education and society in general.
The shooting also resulted in an increased emphasis on school security, and a moral panic aimed at goth culture, heavy metal music, social pariahs, the use of pharmaceutical anti-depressants by teenagers, violent films and violent video games.

9 Apr 1981	Eric David Harris born to Wayne Nelson Harris and Katherine Ann Harris.
11 Sep 1981	Dylan Bennett Klebold born to Thomas Klebold and Susan Klebold.
25 Mar 1998	Eric Harris fills out a self-evaluation form regarding his mental health, in which he describes having homicidal thoughts, mood swings, anger, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Again, this is a self-evaluation that is turned over to his therapist.
17 Jan 1999	Eric Harris writes a short story for his class, in which he describes a game of "Doom" from the first person perspective, including gathering up bullets and weapons, and witnessing piles of bodies. He gets a C+. Teacher's comments: "Yours is a unique approach and your writing works in a gruesome way - good details and mood setting".
25 Mar 1999	The entire Klebold family (Dylan, brother Byron, parents) drives to the University of Arizona to pick out Dylan's dorm room.
15 Apr 1999	Eric Harris' application to join the marines is rejected due to temperament and his prescription for the anger management drug Luvox.
19 Apr 1999	Entry in Dylan Klebold's school notebook, excerpt: "About 26.5 hours from now the judgement will begin. Difficult but not impossible, necessary, nervewracking and fun. What fun is life without a little death? It's interesting, when I'm in my human form, knowing I'm going to die. Everything has a touch of triviality to it." Last entry: "Walk in, set bombs at 11:09, for 11:17. Leave, set car bombs. Drive to Clemete Park. Gear up. Get back by 11:15. Park cars. set car bombs for 11:18. get out, go to outside hill, wait. When first bombs go off, attack. have fun!"
20 Apr 1999	Zero Hour. After their homemade timebombs fail to detonate in the school cafeteria, the heavily-armed duo of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold decide to prowl through Columbine High School, indiscriminately gunning down classmates. A total of 15 are killed in their shooting spree: 12 students dead, 1 teacher, Harris dead from self-inflicted sawed-off shotgun in mouth, Klebold from bullet to left temple via TEC-9. Contrary to news reports, their selection of victims is apparently random; they aren't hunting for jocks or blacks. Nor do they execute that Christian girl -- Valeen Schnurr in fact manages to crawl away and live to tell her story. They are not goths, they aren't gay, nor were they ever members of that dorky clique calling themselves the "Trenchcoat Mafia." They don't even listen to Marilyn Manson. Harris and Klebold are just a couple of extremely pissed-off kids with an arsenal.