Real thoughts/opinions on Brooks Brown?

Yes, I've heard the so called "pedo" rumors, which I believe were completely false. But, I still have doubts about him. Obviously, we know he immediately latched his name to Eric and Dylan..but was it completely out of the desire for fame or attention? Was he just young, and confused? He still capitalizes on his Columbine "status", I'd think he'd disassociate himself quickly after the tumblr rumors.

I think he had great points in his book, but also think he over exaggerated, and added the much needed drama in his story/theories. In some ways, it's nearly as bad as Cullen..I don't think he's an all out asshole, just not altogether truthful. Look.at how Eric felt. He seriously considered Brooks an habitual liar, and pretty much loathed him.

I still have my doubts about the "Brooks, get out of here" story.

I can't help but feel sympathy for Brooks. Two of his close friends attacked their highschool and killed his friends and peers. Not only that but (if you believe his story) his was allowed to leave by Eric moments before the killing started. I'm sure the "why me?" Is a tough thing to deal with. Also Eric hated him and wrote about killing him multiple times over a year before the attack. He has to live knowing he became a fixation and fuel for the hate Eric tapped into during the attack. Brooks was at the center of something horrible that he never asked to be a part of and was even considered a suspect at one point. All of that is a lot for a teenager to handle on an emotional level.

I will say though that I think Brooks tries really hard to be different or a "black sheep". I don't know how to explain it, but something about the way he carries himself screams poser. Its almost as if he relishes the fact that he was such an outcast that he was best friends with the 2 most notorious school shooters in history. Brooks is a perfect example of a late 90s hipster who never grew out of their need to appear different or interesting.

I don't label him as the "putting himself into the story" guy.. his role as EH's target & how that played out w/ JeffCo & the extra drama to NBK, secured his main character status already.

Not saying he was shy of the camera, but he backed up the limelight with a lot of actions that weren't easy nor garnished attention.

Different kinda guy, but good in my book.

I've never really believed his version of the days events (so he decided to walk home because Eric told him to? I know he said he was planning on skipping class anyway but it feels like a retcon to me) but I do hope he releases a new book. I think he may of mentioned something either in his Reddit AMA or on his Facebook that he was considering writing another book (about life since his last book) but it's been a few years since he made that comment.

I just think he somehow "gets off" on all of the attention. We know Eric targeted him, we know about the hatred and threats Eric posted...but I think he probably had a lot of good reasons for the dislike he felt.

He pretty much loathed him, hated him for his lies, hated that he ran to his Mom about everything, etc. It's not farfetched to think that Brooks likely didn't change much in adulthood. I understand that being so closely involved with E&D after NBK must have been pretty rough on him as a teen, but he's still playing on that in his mid 30s.

He just gives off those creepy, warning vibes to me. I may be completely off in my opinions, but it's odd.

I don't think it's necessarily creepy that he still discusses it a lot in his mid-30s. I am sure being so close to someone who then goes and does something that horrible affects you the rest of your life.

From what he has said to the public (about NBK and E&D) I would say there's a very high chance he's full of shit. I for one don't believe the whole 'Eric letting him go on 4/20' story, if Eric was game to kill people he didn't know and had never been wronged by in the library, why would he let go somebody who he was known to have hated and made threats towards prior to NBK. Even if his stories are true, some of them are most certianly embelished for publicity. And that seems kinda shitty to me. Maybe he's a great bloke, I don't know him so how can I claim either way, but from the 'information' and stories he has released into the public, I can't say I particularly like him, and he certainly hasn't been a huge amount of help to my research.

eli27 wrote:

From what he has said to the public (about NBK and E&D) I would say there's a very high chance he's full of shit. I for one don't believe the whole 'Eric letting him go on 4/20' story, if Eric was game to kill people he didn't know and had never been wronged by in the library, why would he let go somebody who he was known to have hated and made threats towards prior to NBK. Even if his stories are true, some of them are most certianly embelished for publicity. And that seems kinda shitty to me. Maybe he's a great bloke, I don't know him so how can I claim either way, but from the 'information' and stories he has released into the public, I can't say I particularly like him, and he certainly hasn't been a huge amount of help to my research.

Brooks did a Q and A thing on reddit a while back and he said that his mother thought eric let him go because it would alert the other students inside that something was going on. If he had killed Brooks on the spot the other kids would have had a heads up and more would have escaped. That's just what he posted though, I mean I have read his book and I don't dislike him but I think he is probably really screwed up in the head from everything that has happened. you never get over something like that, even if you were not injured or directly hurt, you just don't get over being in the middle of something like that.

I don't see how people interrupt it as Eric let Brooks go. Of course Eric was not going to whip out a gun and shoot Brooks. Just like Eric wasn't going to whip out a gun and shoot anybody else that walked by at that time. It wasn't time yet. Eric was still under the impression his bombs would go off. The plan was to start shooting AFTER the bombs went off and kids started running out of the school. Eric ran into Brooks well before that was supposed to happen. Just like he and Dylan passed tons of other kids in that time they were waiting for the bombs to go off. THAT is what saved Brooks. The fact that he ran into Eric before anything was supposed to happen. Who knows though if Eric had seen Brooks once they started shooting. If it were Brooks having lunch with Rachel instead of Richard, then it could be a whole other story. But it wasn't. Eric ran into Brooks before it was time to start shooting and that is why he didn't shoot him. Eric didn't really 'let him go'.

The only person they really 'let go' was John Savage. The shooting had started and they actually stopped shooting and told him to get out of the Library so he wouldn't get hurt. There were other people that they could have killed but didn't but they didn't really let them go. They just bypassed them.

And my feelings about Brooks? I think he is full of crap. I wonder if he even really seen Eric that day anyways? I think Brooks and has family have milked this Columbine thing for way too long. A day after the shooting and they are all over the talks shows and the news. If their son ran into a shooter and was so upset and depressed by that, shouldn't they be worrying about comforting him instead of getting on the nightly news to shit talk Eric and Dylan? And wasn't Judy Brown supposed to be best friends with Susan Klebold? And here she is, at the very first chance, getting on TV shows. She should have worried about comforting her son and her 'friend' instead of attention from the media. That's just my opinion. And Brooks is known for being a liar. So, I can't really trust anything he says anyway.

And Brooks answering Columbine questions is a joke. He doesn't give out real answers. He just has the same generic answers he tells everyone. I asked him a question once and he didn't answer what I was asking him. He just gave me an answer that told me nothing.

Interesting that,

Brooks Brown is the only one that saw Eric with the blue duffel bag at Eric's car.

Brooks passed his polygraph test.

sororityalpha wrote:

Interesting that,

Brooks Brown is the only one that saw Eric with the blue duffel bag at Eric's car.

Brooks passed his polygraph test.

What do you mean by "interest that Brooks Brown is the only one that saw Eric with the blue duffel bag at Eric's car."?

No one saw Eric planting the bombs in the cafeteria either.

Page 010661:

Brown advised that after 4th hour class (approximately 1110 hrs) Brown went outside to have a cigarette. Brown was at the main entrance near the cafeteria. Harris drove up in Harris's vehicle and exited the car, Harris was alone and was carrying a light blue gym bag. Harris said to Brown, "Brooks I like you get out of here.".

Page 010670:

As soon as HARRIS parks his vehicle, BROWN meets him at the vehicle. HARRIS is wearing a white tee shirt, black pants and sunglasses. BROWN notices a light blue gym bag with gray handles sitting in the parking lot next to HARRIS'S vehicle. The bag is approximately 24" in length and 18" in height and approximately 12" in width. BROWN cannot see inside the bag and doesn't know what it contained. He also related HARRIS was pulling one or two additional gym bags from the back seat of his vehicle into the front seat.


Page 010673:

In regards to reviewing any polygraph information, an article appeared in the Rocky Mountain News on 06/03/99 stating that Brooks Brown, a good friend and fellow classmate of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, passed a polygraph examination regarding the Columbine High School shootings/murders. The newspaper article stated that Brooks Brown was given a polygraph examination on 05/11/99 by David Henigsman, a private examiner.

The scope of the polygraph examination given to Brooks Brown consisted of him being asked if he knew beforehand of the attack, if he participated in the shootings and if he purchased any guns or built any bombs that were used in the Columbine tragedy. Mr. Henigsman is quoted in the article stating that Brooks Brown told the truth to the best of his knowledge and that he did not have any prior knowledge of the shootings.

I respect everyone's opinion ; tons of great minds here.

But, all in all..I think Brooks is an attention seeking leech. Bottom line. Not to mention he looks like he's melting in old age. :/

Also, I'll gladly pay for another polygraph concerning everything he's said. I doubt anyone believed Brooks as a would be plotter..he'd tell his mom the first time Eric touched his water gun.

Brooks's story about Eric is totally consistent to everyone he tells it to, starting a few minutes after the shooting.

It also perfectly fits a chronology he himself did not have access to when he started telling the story.

To give some added perspective, while he was wandering around the neighborhood, Brooks Brown ran into a social studies teacher, Rick Bath, and a psychology teacher, Thomas Johnson, on a side street near the school. They are the first to hear the story.

[Bath] advised on one of the side streets he observed a student known to him as well as Mr. Johnson as Brooks Brown. Brooks had motioned them over, and they asked Brooks, "Do you know what's going on?" Brooks made the statement that he observed Eric Harris carrying a duffel bag in the parking lot. Brooks was confronted by Eric in the parking lot and made the statement something to the effect, "I like you, get out of here." (6100)


Johnson tells much the same story on 006688.

Brooks's telephone call is on 10661, and is the first time he tells it to LE:

Brown advised that after 4th hour class (approximately 1110 hrs) Brown went outside to have a cigarette. Brown was at the main entrance near the cafeteria. Harris drove up in Harris's vehicle and exited the car. Harris was alone and was carrying a light blue gym bag. Harris said to Brown, "Brooks I like you get out of here".

Brooks at this point had no idea what Eric had actually done, what had resulted, etc.

apparently, law enforcement admitted that his statements were consistent as well.

I dont see why Brooks would lie. Many people were at the wrong place at the wrong time that day. That cig saved his life.