Lauren Townsend Autopsy

This has probably already been discussed but I have always wondered why Lauren took so many hits as opposed to the rest of the students killed (even taking into account how many times Rachel was shot). Also has anyone got any theories on why she was shot again after she'd died - did Eric or Dylan have something against her or do you think it was because of the amount of students hiding at that table that they hoped to injure/kill more but even in death Lauren took the hits and saved her friends lives even after she'd died.

I lean more to them just aiming in that general direction as opposed to specifically targeting Lauren. They likely only saw a cluster of bodies and that's what drew their attention and gunfire.

There’s been speculation on why the table of girls seemed to get the brunt of especially Dylan’s bullets, by it’s more than likely where Lauren was sitting she was hit the most, from all accounts Dylan didn’t know her but I do wonder if Robyn did. Since they were both up for valedictorian.

Rereading the 11k today I always imagined the girls under table 2 were sort of sat in a lineup position, but actually reading Val Schnurr's  statement, I learnt they were sat vertically (at least Lauren and Val were) with Lauren sitting on the north-western side (the more exposed side) and Val sitting beside her but on the north-eastern side of the table, so that's why Lauren was hit most.

The audio clip of Lauren being killed and Val's screams is awful to listen to.

In a old thread detailing Patti's 911 call, here's the given sequence for table 2:

Quote :

07:41 11:32:43 Shot (Dylan's Shotgun @ Valeen Schnurr)
07:43 11:32:45 "Reb" (Dylan's voice)
07:44 11:32:46 "Yeah" (Eric's voice)
07:46 11:32:48 "Shit Yeah" (Dylan's voice)
07:49 11:32:51 Continuous Shots (8 + Shot (Dylan's TEC @ Lauren Townsend)
07:52 11:32:54 "Whoo"
07:54 11:32:56 Shot (Scream) (Shot Fired @ Table 2)
07:55 11:32:57 Shots (2) (Shots Fired @ Table 2)
07:57 11:32:59 Shot (Shot Fired @ Table 2)

07:58 11:33:00

08:00 11:33:02 Shot
08:02 11:33:04 Screams
08:06 11:33:08 "Oh my God help me" (similar phrases repeated for several seconds)
08:40 11:33:42 Shot (Eric's Shotgun @ Nicole Nowlen)
08:42 11:33:44 Shot (Eric's Shotgun @ John Tomlin)
08:44 11:33:46 Shots (3) (Dylan's TEC @ John Tomlin)
08:47 11:33:49 Shot (Eric's Hi Point Carbine or Dylan's TEC @ John Tomlin)
08:53 11:33:55 Shot (Shot Fired @ Table 2)
08:54 11:33:56 Shots (2) (Scream) (Shots Fired @ Table 2)
08:55 11:33:57 Shot (Shot Fired @ Table 2)
08:56 11:33:58 Female Screams

Looking at the time stamps that was over a minute of pure terror that table 2 had to endure...makes me sick to my stomach :-(

Lauren put her arm around Val and told her it would be okay. I am in tears whenever I think of that.

The witnesses also said Dylan was reloading and stalling when Val started yelling at him. It is interesting the amount of people that got through to Eric and Dylan while they were shooting. Every time someone was a human to them, they stopped. Correct me if I am wrong of course.

As we know it was a failed bombing and they were supposed to be picking off people as they ran out then get shot by the cops. They were never supposed to really know who they were going to kill. Though they had to know their friends may be victims (Robyn, Devon, Nate, Zach, Kristi to name a few)

katherinex wrote:

This has probably already been discussed but I have always wondered why Lauren took so many hits as opposed to the rest of the students killed

I read Lauren's autopsy this evening, and it's shocking what the poor girl went through:

Quote :

PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSES:

1. Penetrating shotgun (pellet) wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower chest.

B. Recovery of pellets (2 in number), spine at the level of the third thoracic vertebral body and subcutaneous tissue of the left back.

C. Fractures of the lower sternum and spine (as above) without injury to the spinal cord.

D. Perforating lacerations of the pericardium, heart and upper lobe of the left lung.

E. Associated hemopericardium, hemomediastinum and bilateral hemothoraces.

2. Penetrating gunshot wounds (2 in number, overlapping paths) to the trunk with:

A. Entrances, left back.

B. Recovery of bullets, right pelvic region.

C. Perforating lacerations of the upper and middle lobes of the left lung, left hemidiaphragm, liver, small and large intestines.

D. Fracture of the right ilium of the pelvis.

E. Associated left hemothorax and hemoperitoneum.

3. Penetrating shotgun (pellet) wound to the head with:

A. Entrance, right ear and underlying occipital scalp.

B. Recovery of pellet, right mastoid process.

C. Fracture of the mastoid process and minimal associated hemorrhage.

4. Perforating gunshot wound to the right lower extremity with:

A. Entrance, posterolateral right thigh.

B. Exit, anterolateral right thigh.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

5. Perforating gunshot wound to the right upper extremity with:

A. Entrance, anterolateral right arm.

B. Exit, anterior right arm.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

6. Perforating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, upper left hip.

B. Exit, left medial buttock.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

7. Perforating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower left hip.

B. Exit, left lateral buttock.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

8. Penetrating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower abdomen/pubic region.

B. Recovery of bullet, subcutaneous tissue of the lower abdomen/pubic region.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

9. Superficial shotgun (pellet) wound to the head with:

A. Entrance/exit, top of the head.

B. Scalp injury only without fracture of the skull or injury

Szabo wrote:

katherinex wrote:

This has probably already been discussed but I have always wondered why Lauren took so many hits as opposed to the rest of the students killed

I read Lauren's autopsy this evening, and it's shocking what the poor girl went through:

Quote :

PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSES:

1. Penetrating shotgun (pellet) wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower chest.

B. Recovery of pellets (2 in number), spine at the level of the third thoracic vertebral body and subcutaneous tissue of the left back.

C. Fractures of the lower sternum and spine (as above) without injury to the spinal cord.

D. Perforating lacerations of the pericardium, heart and upper lobe of the left lung.

E. Associated hemopericardium, hemomediastinum and bilateral hemothoraces.

2. Penetrating gunshot wounds (2 in number, overlapping paths) to the trunk with:

A. Entrances, left back.

B. Recovery of bullets, right pelvic region.

C. Perforating lacerations of the upper and middle lobes of the left lung, left hemidiaphragm, liver, small and large intestines.

D. Fracture of the right ilium of the pelvis.

E. Associated left hemothorax and hemoperitoneum.

3. Penetrating shotgun (pellet) wound to the head with:

A. Entrance, right ear and underlying occipital scalp.

B. Recovery of pellet, right mastoid process.

C. Fracture of the mastoid process and minimal associated hemorrhage.

4. Perforating gunshot wound to the right lower extremity with:

A. Entrance, posterolateral right thigh.

B. Exit, anterolateral right thigh.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

5. Perforating gunshot wound to the right upper extremity with:

A. Entrance, anterolateral right arm.

B. Exit, anterior right arm.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

6. Perforating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, upper left hip.

B. Exit, left medial buttock.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

7. Perforating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower left hip.

B. Exit, left lateral buttock.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

8. Penetrating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower abdomen/pubic region.

B. Recovery of bullet, subcutaneous tissue of the lower abdomen/pubic region.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

9. Superficial shotgun (pellet) wound to the head with:

A. Entrance/exit, top of the head.

B. Scalp injury only without fracture of the skull or injury

I think they came back around and shot at the table again, which made Val start yelling because Lauren was dead already

Szabo wrote:

I read Lauren's autopsy this evening, and it's shocking what the poor girl went through:

Quote :

PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSES:

1. Penetrating shotgun (pellet) wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower chest.

B. Recovery of pellets (2 in number), spine at the level of the third thoracic vertebral body and subcutaneous tissue of the left back.

C. Fractures of the lower sternum and spine (as above) without injury to the spinal cord.

D. Perforating lacerations of the pericardium, heart and upper lobe of the left lung.

E. Associated hemopericardium, hemomediastinum and bilateral hemothoraces.

2. Penetrating gunshot wounds (2 in number, overlapping paths) to the trunk with:

A. Entrances, left back.

B. Recovery of bullets, right pelvic region.

C. Perforating lacerations of the upper and middle lobes of the left lung, left hemidiaphragm, liver, small and large intestines.

D. Fracture of the right ilium of the pelvis.

E. Associated left hemothorax and hemoperitoneum.

3. Penetrating shotgun (pellet) wound to the head with:

A. Entrance, right ear and underlying occipital scalp.

B. Recovery of pellet, right mastoid process.

C. Fracture of the mastoid process and minimal associated hemorrhage.

4. Perforating gunshot wound to the right lower extremity with:

A. Entrance, posterolateral right thigh.

B. Exit, anterolateral right thigh.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

5. Perforating gunshot wound to the right upper extremity with:

A. Entrance, anterolateral right arm.

B. Exit, anterior right arm.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

6. Perforating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, upper left hip.

B. Exit, left medial buttock.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

7. Perforating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower left hip.

B. Exit, left lateral buttock.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

8. Penetrating gunshot wound to the trunk with:

A. Entrance, lower abdomen/pubic region.

B. Recovery of bullet, subcutaneous tissue of the lower abdomen/pubic region.

C. Soft tissue injury only.

9. Superficial shotgun (pellet) wound to the head with:

A. Entrance/exit, top of the head.

B. Scalp injury only without fracture of the skull or injury

AGREED!

There are Military Vets that have been in various battles and didn't suffer the amount of damage this poor kid did at her high school.

That is a very sad, depressing thought.

I watched Dawn Anna last night. I cried when they found out "Lulu" had died. For a TV movie it was actually quite good. I do wish we could've learnt a little more about Lauren, but I think they did a good enough job building her character.

In every way it was better than I'm Not Ashamed.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] is Dawn Anna available on YouTube?

Sadly I don't think it is. I ended up buying it on DVD. I was surprised it was even available in the UK in PAL format and pretty cheap too.

It's definitely worth a watch if you can see it.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] can you please confirm if this is the correct Dawn Anna movie that you saw as I found it on YouTube and wanted people here to be able to see it?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Yep, that's it.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] do you know if Lauren's family had any involvement in the film like Rachel's did for I'm Not Ashamed?

Oh I really don't know about that. It wouldn't surprise me if they did.

Did you get to watch it? Dawn Anna, what did you think of it?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] I absolutely loved it. It was interesting to see how Lauren grew up. It was amazing to see her grow up surrounded by older siblings and how they were close as a family and how they supported and helped Dawn Anna during her illness. The two actors playing Lauren both in her younger years and the years leading up to the shooting played her how I thought Lauren would have been if we'd seen more of her if her family ever released home videos like Daniel's father Tom did with their home videos. I will say prepare yourself with tissues at the end as it made me bawl and it was interesting to see how the film showed her family waiting to see if she had survived. It really brought it home that it was real and real people were and are still affected by it. I would urge everyone to watch it if you can. It was exactly what I'm Not Ashamed should have been focusing on victim's lives before the shooting in as far as their interactions with their family as opposed to religious views as the lack of religion really made the film accessible to everyone no matter what religion you follow. I know I'm Not Ashamed did show Rachel's life (up to a point, in my opinion) and I'm not bashing the religious viewpoint it took but I felt that became more important than the impact Rachel had; but perhaps this may be because I am not religious so couldn't watch it from a person practicing a religion point of view.

katherinex wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] I absolutely loved it. It was interesting to see how Lauren grew up. It was amazing to see her grow up surrounded by older siblings and how they were close as a family and how they supported and helped Dawn Anna during her illness. The two actors playing Lauren both in her younger years and the years leading up to the shooting played her how I thought Lauren would have been if we'd seen more of her if her family ever released home videos like Daniel's father Tom did with their home videos. I will say prepare yourself with tissues at the end as it made me bawl and it was interesting to see how the film showed her family waiting to see if she had survived. It really brought it home that it was real and real people were and are still affected by it. I would urge everyone to watch it if you can.  It was exactly what I'm Not Ashamed should have been focusing on victim's lives before the shooting in as far as their interactions with their family as opposed to religious views as the lack of religion really made the film accessible to everyone no matter what religion you follow. I know I'm Not Ashamed did show Rachel's life (up to a point, in my opinion) and I'm not bashing the religious viewpoint it took but I felt that became more important than the impact Rachel had; but perhaps this may be because I am not religious so couldn't watch it from a person practicing a religion point of view.

It sounds like it works better, focusing on the family life. I think I’d like that better than what they did in INA

I did catch the ending when it first came out and I was shocked that it was a columbine movie, I heard you don’t really know that until the end

Yeah it's right at the end when it finally becomes a film about Columbine as they do use some of the news footage from the day in the film but it's shown tastefully (well as tastefully a school shooting can be shown) but it doesn't show us Danny or Rachel's bodies and we don't see Patrick falling into the arms of the SWAT team. It is more of stuff happening further away like kids running away and meeting up with their loved ones and everyone stood around in shock which I think was a good way of showing it instead of the "gore".

She was such a beautiful girl