Stereotypes And Conspiracies Surrounding The Columbine

Jordan Grant
McCrady, 1
English 102
16 January, 2023
A Columbine Martyr
April 20, 1999, was a day of absolute terror and devastation, as two troubled teenagers set out, after months of planning and preparation, to terrorize their high school just weeks before graduation. The Columbine shooting has gone down in history as the most deadly school shooting in American history with a total of fifteen killed (including twelve students, a beloved teacher, and the two perpetrators), twenty-four injured, and hundreds traumatized beyond repair. Years of investigating and speculating have caused mass confusion and hysteria regarding the incident. Countless conspiracy theories have been adopted, media outlets worldwide have picked up the story, and

While Cassie Bernall is often credited with standing up for her faith in the face of death, this is actually just one of the many conspiracies surrounding the Columbine tragedy. Five months after the shooting, Misty Bernall, Cassie’s mother, released She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall, detailing Cassie’s supposed martyrdom. Misty released this book to the public knowing that the events of her daughter’s death were being questioned. Cassie’s story reached so many people that there were even songs written about her faith in God, including “This Is Your Time” by Michael W. Smith and “Cassie” by Flyleaf (Wilkinson 2). At approximately 11:19 a.m. on the day of the shooting, Rachel Scott became the first victim of the Columbine shooting. Rachel was having lunch outside with Richard Costaldo when she was shot a total of three times. Harris and Klebold started to move on until they realized that the three shots did not kill Rachel. Harris stopped in his tracks and made his way back over to the severely wounded Rachel. He grabbed her by her hair, yanked her head up to face him, and asked her, “Do you still believe in God,” to which she responded with a simple but powerful, “You know I do.” Harris said, “Then go be with him,” and shot Rachel in the head, killing her instantly. Rachel stood up for her faith until the very end, choosing her love for God over her own