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Killers' parents struggle, say they 'search souls' in effort to understand how tragedy could occur
By Peggy LoweDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
The parents of the Columbine High School killers said Friday they still are grieving and struggling to understand why their sons turned bad. "We loved our son dearly, and search our souls daily for some glimmer of a reason why he would have done such a horrible thing," Wayne and Kathy Harris said. The families of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold also apologized again for the teens' murderous rampage. "There are no words to convey how sorry we are for the pain that has been brought upon the community as a result of our son's actions," Tom and Sue Klebold said. "The pain of others compounds our own as we struggle to live a life without the son we cherished. "In the reality of the Columbine tragedy and its aftermath, we look with the rest of the world to understand how such a thing could happen." The rare statements, issued by the families' attorneys, come just days before the April 20 anniversary of the nation's deadliest school shooting and with an offer from the Klebolds to meet with the victims' families. "We are convinced that the only way to truly honor all of the victims of this and other related tragedies is to move clearly and methodically toward an understanding of why they occur, so that we may try to prevent this kind of madness from ever happening again," the Klebolds say. "We envision a time when circumstances will allow us to join with those who share our desire to understand." Michael and Vonda Shoels, parents of slain Columbine student Isaiah Shoels, denounced the statements, calling them an attempt to get a sympathetic jury. The Shoelses have filed a civil lawsuit against Klebold's and Harris' families. "Why didn't they have better control over their child?" Michael Shoels asked. "Why didn't they know what was going on in their garage and homes. These kids had sawed-off shotguns in their bedrooms. They were building bombs in the garage right under their noses. "Now they want to seek our forgiveness. Ain't that pitiful." Several other victims' families declined to comment. Judy Brown, a friend of the Klebolds since her son, Brooks, was in grade school with Dylan, said the Klebolds' offer to meet with victims' families is heartfelt. "That's what they've wanted to do most — to reach out," she said. "These are their words, not the lawyers. They're from the heart. "The only thing missing from that statement is the tears. I wish people could see those tears." Both the killers' families have avoided talking much publicly since Harris, 18, and Klebold, 17, stormed the Jefferson County school on April 20, killing 13 and injuring 23 before both committed suicide. The Klebold family has released just four statements; the Harris family two. Their latest comments indicate they are troubled deeply by the senselessness of the massacre — but both added they loved their sons and continue to miss them. "What he did was unforgivable and beyond our capacity to understand," the Harrises say. "The passage of time has yet to lessen the pain." Contact Peggy Lowe at (303) 892-5482 or lowep@RockyMountainNews.com. Staff Writer April M. Washington contributed to this report. April 15, 2000
The parents of the Columbine High School killers said Friday they still are grieving and struggling to understand why their sons turned bad.
"We loved our son dearly, and search our souls daily for some glimmer of a reason why he would have done such a horrible thing," Wayne and Kathy Harris said.
The families of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold also apologized again for the teens' murderous rampage.
"There are no words to convey how sorry we are for the pain that has been brought upon the community as a result of our son's actions," Tom and Sue Klebold said. "The pain of others compounds our own as we struggle to live a life without the son we cherished.
"In the reality of the Columbine tragedy and its aftermath, we look with the rest of the world to understand how such a thing could happen."
The rare statements, issued by the families' attorneys, come just days before the April 20 anniversary of the nation's deadliest school shooting and with an offer from the Klebolds to meet with the victims' families.
"We are convinced that the only way to truly honor all of the victims of this and other related tragedies is to move clearly and methodically toward an understanding of why they occur, so that we may try to prevent this kind of madness from ever happening again," the Klebolds say.
"We envision a time when circumstances will allow us to join with those who share our desire to understand."
Michael and Vonda Shoels, parents of slain Columbine student Isaiah Shoels, denounced the statements, calling them an attempt to get a sympathetic jury.
The Shoelses have filed a civil lawsuit against Klebold's and Harris' families.
"Why didn't they have better control over their child?" Michael Shoels asked. "Why didn't they know what was going on in their garage and homes. These kids had sawed-off shotguns in their bedrooms. They were building bombs in the garage right under their noses.
"Now they want to seek our forgiveness. Ain't that pitiful."
Several other victims' families declined to comment.
Judy Brown, a friend of the Klebolds since her son, Brooks, was in grade school with Dylan, said the Klebolds' offer to meet with victims' families is heartfelt.
"That's what they've wanted to do most — to reach out," she said. "These are their words, not the lawyers. They're from the heart.
"The only thing missing from that statement is the tears. I wish people could see those tears."
Both the killers' families have avoided talking much publicly since Harris, 18, and Klebold, 17, stormed the Jefferson County school on April 20, killing 13 and injuring 23 before both committed suicide. The Klebold family has released just four statements; the Harris family two.
Their latest comments indicate they are troubled deeply by the senselessness of the massacre — but both added they loved their sons and continue to miss them.
"What he did was unforgivable and beyond our capacity to understand," the Harrises say. "The passage of time has yet to lessen the pain."
Contact Peggy Lowe at (303) 892-5482 or lowep@RockyMountainNews.com. Staff Writer April M. Washington contributed to this report.
April 15, 2000