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U.S. NEWS Thursday 18 april 2019
Florida teenager obsessed with Columbine

takes her own life

By KATHLEEN FOODY and ing their own lives. They
COLLEEN SLEVIN have inspired cult-like ad-
Associated Press mirers and motivated other
LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — A mass shooters over the de-
Florida teenager who au- cades. Since Columbine,
thorities say was obsessed a growing “no notoriety”
with the Columbine school movement has urged news
shooting and may have organizations to avoid
been planning an attack naming the perpetrators of
in Colorado just ahead of mass shootings to deprive
the 20th anniversary was them of the notoriety they
found dead Wednesday in seek.
an apparent suicide after In Florida, Adam Charni, a
a nearly 24-hour manhunt. Miami Beach High School
The body of 18-year-old senior, said Pais dressed
high schooler Sol Pais was This combination of undated photos released by the Jefferson in black and kept mostly
discovered in the moun- County, Colo., Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 shows to herself. He said he was
tains outside Denver with Sol Pais. “baffled” to learn she was
what appeared to be Associated Press the person authorities in
a self-inflicted gunshot side Police Chief Julio Yero legal process. Out-of- Colorado were searching
wound after investigators asked that the family be state residents who are at for. Another classmate,
got a tip from the driver given “privacy and a little least 18 can buy shotguns 17-year-old Drew Burnstine,
who took her there, the FBI time to grieve.” Pais’ par- in Colorado. Customers described Pais as quiet and
said. ents had reported her miss- must provide fingerprints smart.
During the manhunt, Den- ing on Monday night, po- and pass a criminal back- Phillips said investigators
ver-area schools closed as lice said. ground check. were poring through Pais’
a precaution, with classes “This family contributed A gun shop that said it sold social media, including a
and extracurricular activi- greatly to this investigation the shotgun to Pais post- blog with photos of hand-
ties canceled for a half-mil- from the very onset. They ed on Facebook that she written journal entries
lion students. provided valuable infor- passed the background alongside sketches of guns.
Police and the FBI were mation that led us to Col- check and the purchase Denver-area parents strug-
tipped off about Pais af- orado and a lot of things was legal. gled with how to explain to
ter the Miami Beach high that assisted in preventing “We had no reason to sus- their children why they had
school student made trou- maybe more loss of life,” pect she was a threat to the day off school without
bling remarks to others Yero said. either herself or anyone scaring them.
about her “infatuation” Authorities said she did not else,” said the post, which “This is definitely a chal-
with the 1999 bloodbath threaten a specific school. was signed by Colorado lenge in their generation,
at Columbine High and this But Columbine and more Gun Broker owner Josh and watching my kids learn
weekend’s anniversary of than 20 other schools out- Rayburn. how to navigate this is really
the 13 killings, said Dean side Denver reacted by School officials said events hard. It is really heartbreak-
Phillips, FBI agent in charge locking their doors for planned to mark the anni- ing,” said Suzanne Kerns, of
in Denver. He did not elab- nearly three hours Tuesday versary will go on as sched- suburban Arvada, whose
orate on what she said. afternoon, and some can- uled, including a ceremony children are 8 and 15.
Pais purchased three one- celed evening activities or at Columbine on Saturday. Kerns said she was angry
way tickets to Denver on moved them inside. Two teenagers attacked about how easy it was for
three consecutive days, Pais’ body was found off a Columbine on April 20, someone reported missing
then flew in on Monday trail not far from the base of 1999, killing 12 classmates to come from out of state
night and went directly Mount Evans, a recreation and a teacher before tak- and buy a gun.q
to a gun store, where she area about 60 miles south-
bought a shotgun, authori- west of Denver, authorities
ties said. said. She used the weapon
“We’re used to threats, she bought, Phillips said.
frankly, at Columbine,” She had been last seen in
John McDonald, security a black T-shirt, camouflage
chief for Jefferson County pants and black boots.
school system, said when Sheriff Jeff Shrader said the
the manhunt was over. sale of the shotgun appar-
“This one felt different. It ently followed the state’s
was different. It certainly
had our attention.”
McDonald described her
trip as a “pilgrimage” to
Columbine.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis
said after receiving word
that the hunt was over
that he and all Colorado
parents are “hugging their
children a little tighter.”
In Pais’ hometown, Surf-