The Victims of the Columbine Massacre

Cassie Bernall

A 17-year old junior who had dabbled in witchcraft and drugs had turned her life around two years before she was killed. She became active in her church and was restructuring her life. A story circulating that one of the shooters had asked her if she believed in God before he shot her is apparently incorrect; it actually happened to victim Valeen Schnurr, who survived.

Steven Curnow

A 14-year old freshman, Steven loved aviation and dreamed of becoming a Navy pilot. He also loved to play soccer and was an avid fan of the "Star Wars" movies.

Corey DePooter

A 17-year old who loved the outdoors, Corey was a solid 6-foot-tall athlete who loved to fish, camp, golf, and inline skate. He planned to join the Marines.

Kelly Fleming

A new student to Columbine, Kelly Fleming was a quiet 16-year-old who liked to spend time in the library writing short stories and poetry. She aspired to be a writer.

Matthew Kechter

A shy, sweet sophomore, Matthew was a football player and a straight-A student.

Daniel Mauser

A smart but shy 15-year-old sophomore, Daniel had recently joined the debate team and the cross-country squad.

Daniel Rohrbough

A 15-year-old freshman, Daniel loved to play hockey and Nintendo with his friends. He often helped his father in his electrical store after school.

William "Dave" Sanders

A longtime teacher at Columbine, Dave coached girls' basketball and softball and taught business and computer classes. He was 47 when he died, and had two daughters and five grandchildren.

Rachel Scott

A 17-year-old who loved acting in plays, Rachel Scott could play the piano by ear and had a strong belief in Christianity.

Isaiah Shoels

An 18-year-old senior, Isaiah overcame heart problems (two heart surgeries) to become a football player and a wrestler.

John Tomlin

John was a 16-year-old with a good heart and a love of Chevy trucks. A year before he was killed, John traveled to Juarez, Mexico to help build houses for the poor.

Lauren Townsend

An 18-year-old senior, Lauren loved Shakespeare, volleyball, and animals.

Kyle Velasquez

A 16-year-old sophomore, Kyle had only been a student at Columbine for three months. His family remembers him as a "gentle giant" and he was a big fan of the Denver Broncos.

Sources and Further Reading

• Cullen, Dave. "Columbine." New York: Hachett Group, 2009.
• Mears, Daniel P. et al. "Columbine Revisited: Myths and Realities About the Bullying–School Shootings Connection." Victims & Offenders, vol. 12, no. 6, 2017, pp. 939-955, doi:10.1080/15564886.2017.1307295.
• Sebastian, Matt, and Kirk Mitchell. "Columbine families, survivors reflect on hope and healing 20 years after one of Colorado’s darkest days." Denver Post, 20 April 2019.
• Schildkraut, Jaclyn and Glenn W. Muschert. "Columbine, 20 Years Later and Beyond: Lessons from Tragedy." Santa Barbara CA: ABC-Clio, 2019.