Death of Paralysed Survivor from 1999 Columbine School Massacre Ruled Homicide | US News
The tragic Columbine High School massacre has now officially resulted in another death, nearly 26 years following the mass shooting in the United States.
The passing of Anne Marie Hochhalter last month, who was left partially paralyzed due to two gunshot wounds during the attack, has been classified as a homicide by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
On February 16 of this year, the 43-year-old succumbed to sepsis at her home in Denver, a reaction stemming from an infection.
A forensic pathologist, Dr. Dawn B. Holmes, noted in a detailed 13-page post-mortem report that complications from her paralysis were a “significant contributing factor” to her death.
Dr. Holmes determined that “the manner of death is best classified as homicide.”
Columbine death toll rises to 14
With this latest development, the death toll related to the tragic events of April 20, 1999, at the school in Littleton, Colorado, has reached 14, which includes 13 students and one teacher.
This total does not account for the shooters, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, who took their own lives before law enforcement could apprehend them.
At the time of the assault, Ms. Hochhalter was a 17-year-old student sharing lunch with her friends when she was shot in both the chest and back.
These wounds resulted in her being paralyzed from the waist down.
Ms. Hochhalter at a vigil in July 2012 for the victims of the Aurora cinema shooting. Pic: AP
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The survivor spent the remainder of her life in a wheelchair, facing persistent health challenges.
Ms. Hochhalter endured severe pain throughout her life but made every effort to confront her injuries’ complications and maintain a positive outlook, as recounted by her loved ones.
In a remarkable act of compassion, she chose to forgive the mother of the gunman, Dylan Klebold, in 2016.
In a letter to Sue Klebold, she expressed: “A good friend once told me, ‘Bitterness is like swallowing a poison pill and expecting the other person to die.’ It only harms yourself. I have forgiven you and only wish you the best.”
Upon her passing, her family and friends suspected that her death was a result of natural causes connected to her injuries from the shooting.
Given the suspected influence of her paralysis on her death, the investigation was redirected to the office responsible for reviewing the deaths associated with the Columbine shooting.
The casualties of Columbine also included teacher William “Dave” Sanders, 47, and students Cassie Bernall, 17, Steve Curnow, 14, Corey DePooter, 17, Kelly Fleming, 16, Matt Kechter, 16, Daniel Mauser, 15, Daniel Rohrbough, 15, Rachel Scott, 17, Isaiah Shoels, 18, John Tomlin, 16, and Kyle Velasquez, 16.
