By Tillie Fong
Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer

On top of a hill near Columbine High School, 15 crosses are aligned.

Two bear the names of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

Those two crosses drew praise as well as criticism from the steady stream of mourners paying respects.

Each of the crosses bears a name and photograph. Flowers are strewn at their bases. No one was able to say who erected the two new crosses.

On both Eric Harris' and Dylan Klebold's crosses, someone wrote "Hate breeds hate" and "I forgive you."

On Klebold's cross was also the simple question: "Why?"

A number of people stopped to read the sayings, with some adding their own.

Jean Carney, 79, of Denver wrote "May God have mercy on your soul, Sorry we all failed you" on Klebold's cross.

"We allowed all this horrible violence on TV and the movies," he said. "The whole society failed them ... . I'm glad to see they put something up for them."

Others left notes at Klebold's cross.

One read: "For all those names unspoken and faces unseen, you will never be forgotten and your death was not in vain."

Sharon Dunn, 45, of Littleton was glad to see Harris' cross.

"It says a lot about this community," she said. "The community is willing to embrace these individuals. We are all affected. It's going to affect so many people, and there isn't a hatred held against anybody."

She said it was unusual to see this kind of tribute.

"How many other places would allow this and not have it taken out of the ground already?" she asked.

"There is a lot of love here. This is going to heal the community."

But not everyone liked the two crosses.

"I don't think it's right to have the killers up here with the victims," said Anna Whitcomb, 21, of Denver. "I don't think they should be recognized. I think it does an injustice."

She wants the two crosses taken down.

"People come here to mourn and to pay respect to the innocent victims," she said. "Dylan and Eric were not the innocent."

Joe Jostes, 15, of Denver knelt before Harris' cross and prayed.

"I just pray that he will come to God and not do stuff like that," he said.

Melissa McBryde, 29, of Denver wrote on Harris' cross: "He is still God's child and is loved."

"Even though he did a horrific thing, God will forgive him," she said.

She approved of the crosses for Harris and Klebold.

"They were hurt as much as anybody else."