Denver Schools Closed After Copycat Columbine Threat

Over 100 Denver schools were closed on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, after authorities hunted down 18-year-old Sol Pais, who was allegedly armed and obsessed with the 1999 Columbine massacre. The 20th anniversary of Columbine was Saturday, April 20.

Pais was deemed as a credible threat to the Denver community by the FBI early on in the week, the result of which had nearly half a million students home on Wednesday. She made threats to the Denver metropolitan area, but those threats had not outlined a specific plan. Rather, the threats were not detailed at all. After purchasing a firearm, authorities sent out a “be on the lookout” alert for her to other local law enforcement.

No threats were made to any specific school, but the Colorado Department of Education made recommendations to schools in the Denver metropolitan area to conduct lockouts, in which the exterior doors are locked, but school continues throughout the day, along with other measures, like controlled releases.

Pais was believed to be obsessed with the Columbine massacre in 1999, where two students maliciously attacked Columbine High School, murdering 12 students and a teacher, and injuring more. The massacre took place in Littleton, Jefferson County, of which Pais was believed to be traveling near, after falling off of authority radar.

Early Wednesday afternoon, Pais was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound by authorities. The Miami native, who had flown from Miami to Denver on Monday, purchased a pump-action shotgun and ammunition almost immediately upon her arrival in Colorado.

Pais’s social media accounts, along with her personal blog and journal, indicated thoughts of suicide, gun violence, and other violent crimes, as well as drawings of knives and of Columbine gunman, Dylan Klebold.

Authorities have since made a statement, specifying the increase in copycat Columbine threats around this time every year, and sent out a warning to all potential copycats, saying Denver authorities do not and will not tolerate such threats.

Pais was believed to be working alone. There is no current threat to Denver schools at this time.