Columbines first responders

I have often wondered how the police, paramedics, etc, felt being so close to where those kids were being killed yet couldn't/wouldn't intervene. If they were close enough to hear the gun shots, they would have also been close enough to hear the screams of some in the library. I can't imagine what was going through their heads as they stood there listening to everything unfold.

Eric and Dylan's suicide pictures were bad, now just think of the rest of the bodies scattered around that library. I am sure that mental image in burned into every single person's mind that entered that room on 4/20. I wonder if they walked around and thought to themselves was this the girl that we heard or was it that one? The guilt they felt must have been awful. Other then the six ripple effect suicides that Sue talked about that were related to Columbine, I wonder how many more were directly associated to it as well?

I have heard about the mother of a Columbine survivor killing herself. Have there been others that just wasn't as well known or publicized?

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

I have often wondered how the police, paramedics, etc, felt being so close to where those kids were being killed yet couldn't/wouldn't intervene. If they were close enough to hear the gun shots, they would have also been close enough to hear the screams of some in the library. I can't imagine what was going through their heads as they stood there listening to everything unfold.

Eric and Dylan's suicide pictures were bad, now just think of the rest of the bodies scattered around that library. I am sure that mental image in burned into every single person's mind that entered that room on 4/20. I wonder if they walked around and thought to themselves was this the girl that we heard or was it that one? The guilt they felt must have been awful. Other then the six ripple effect suicides that Sue talked about that were related to Columbine, I wonder how many more were directly associated to it as well?

I have heard about the mother of a Columbine survivor killing herself. Have there been others that just wasn't as well known or publicized?

In reading the 11k it seems that even though the cops were not going inside a lot of them were doing something. They were helping escort survivors, helping the injured that got out and also doing stupid things like shooting at shadows or trying to figure out who was on the roof.

I don't know that there was much time for thinking. I am sure they heard screaming but I think there was a lot of that that day.

Look at all the columbine survivors that are coming out stating they were drug addicts or alcoholics because of what happened. I am sure there are so many people that were adversely affected who are keeping quiet about it.

I know the cops who rescued Rachel and Richard were deeply affected by seeing the blood and injuries. As well as those that rescued Patrick Ireland

Lizpuff wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

I have often wondered how the police, paramedics, etc, felt being so close to where those kids were being killed yet couldn't/wouldn't intervene. If they were close enough to hear the gun shots, they would have also been close enough to hear the screams of some in the library. I can't imagine what was going through their heads as they stood there listening to everything unfold.

Eric and Dylan's suicide pictures were bad, now just think of the rest of the bodies scattered around that library. I am sure that mental image in burned into every single person's mind that entered that room on 4/20. I wonder if they walked around and thought to themselves was this the girl that we heard or was it that one? The guilt they felt must have been awful. Other then the six ripple effect suicides that Sue talked about that were related to Columbine, I wonder how many more were directly associated to it as well?

I have heard about the mother of a Columbine survivor killing herself. Have there been others that just wasn't as well known or publicized?

In reading the 11k it seems that even though the cops were not going inside a lot of them were doing something.  They were helping escort survivors, helping the injured that got out and also doing stupid things like shooting at shadows or trying to figure out who was on the roof.

I don't know that there was much time for thinking.  I am sure they heard screaming but I think there was a lot of that that day.  

Look at all the columbine survivors that are coming out stating they were drug addicts or alcoholics because of what happened.  I am sure there are so many people that were adversely affected who are keeping quiet about it.  

I know the cops who rescued Rachel and Richard were deeply affected by seeing the blood and injuries.  As well as those that rescued Patrick Ireland

The tickle down effect of Columbine was mind blowing. Not only with the copycats, but with the suicides and the substance abuse that followed.  

If I remember correctly, I think it was the mother of Anne Marie Hochhalter that commited suicide in a gun shop.

TheSpiral wrote:

If I remember correctly, I think it was the mother of Anne Marie Hochhalter that commited suicide in a gun shop.

Yes, it was Anne's mom. Poor girl, she survives the shooting, but is paralyzed. Then her mother commits suicide. Anne has seen more then her fair share of heartache.

I never saw the logic behind not letting 20 fully armed and trained officers attack 2 low skilled teenagers. What was so fear inducing? Were they thinking there were more shooters inside?

I can't even imagine I also bet it was impossible for first responders in Sandy Hook too.

Question about the cops not going into the school right away? Did they know about the bombs? Was that a reason they would stay back? They probably weren't prepared for something of this magnitude.

Eric's shooting skills were a lot better than Dylan's but they were still both teenagers with no tactical training. I agree with Mare above!

1Mare1 wrote:

I never saw the logic behind not letting 20 fully armed and trained officers attack 2 low skilled teenagers. What was so fear inducing? Were they thinking there were more shooters inside?

yes they did not know how many shooters. A lot of kids reported that it was students shooting but they did not know if that was true or not. Plus that was the modus operandi of the time. You make a perimeter outside then go in.

That changed after Columbine

Lizpuff wrote:

1Mare1 wrote:

I never saw the logic behind not letting 20 fully armed and trained officers attack 2 low skilled teenagers. What was so fear inducing? Were they thinking there were more shooters inside?

yes they did not know how many shooters.  A lot of kids reported that it was students shooting but they did not know if that was true or not.  Plus that was the modus operandi of the time.  You make a perimeter outside then go in.

That changed after Columbine

I agree. To my loose understanding the protocol at that time was to set a perimeter and contain the situation and the attackers.

Also there were reports of gunman all over the school, they were getting different numbers on how many shooters were actually in the school. It was just a huge chaotic mess.

Columbine is certainly not unique in its effect on people.

We got to hear/see more compared to other shootings because it had more media attention.

Certainly, ANY mass murder/spree killing/school shooting etc. is going to have lasting traumatizing effects on others.

Cops back then weren't really trained for shootings, so I guess it would have been a shock to them knowing the fact that there are 2 shooters in the building.

1Mare1 wrote:

I never saw the logic behind not letting 20 fully armed and trained officers attack 2 low skilled teenagers. What was so fear inducing? Were they thinking there were more shooters inside?

Most likely they were worried over the prospect of walking into a bomb trap. They had already found the diversions at the point they arrived, had heard reports of Eric and Dylan throwing "grenades" (pipe bombs), and if my memory serves me right they moved a firetruck closer to the west entrance in case there was an explosion so it would shield people from shrapnel. They were even afraid Eric and Dylan had booby trapped their own corpses to explode. All in all I think that's where most of the reluctance to enter came from.