Apr 17, 2019

Woman who made Columbine-related threats found dead

An 18-year-old woman who "made threats to commit an act of violence in the Denver metropolitan area," causing about 20 schools to close on Tuesday and Wednesday, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Denver FBI office confirmed.

Details: Authorities traced down the Florida woman, Sol Pais, who had traveled to Colorado and purchased a gun. Pais had an "infatuation" with the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. Her threat, which sparked a manhunt on Tuesday and Wednesday, came days before April 20 — the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

  • Officials said in a press conference that there have been many copycats in the past who were inspired by the Columbine shooting, but that this instance felt different and credibly dangerous — which is why they made the decision to close schools in the Denver metro area.

Go deeper: The 10 deadliest school shootings since Columbine

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