Columbine Shooter’s Mother Speaks Out, Sparks Debate Over Gun Violence

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Published

February 13, 2016

It defies belief, but the Columbine school shooting is verging on seventeen years ago.

Now, nearly two decades after her son Dylan killed 13 people and wounded 24 more with his friend Eric Harris during the attack, Sue Klebold has given her first ever television interview.

Speaking to Diane Sawyer on Friday night local time, Klebold spoke candidly about her guilt, saying “I think we like to believe that our love and our understanding is protective, and that if anything was wrong with my kids, I would know.”

“But I didn’t know.”

She also spoke about her wish that 17-year-old Dylan would die himself before being allowed to continue the shootings, saying “at that moment I prayed that he would die.”

“God, stop this. Just make it stop – don’t let him hurt anybody.”

Klebold’s statements coincide with the release of her book, which she hopes will allow parents, friends and mentors to identify the “warning signs”; while that’s certainly the personal dialogue intended to be opened by her statements, the confronting interview has also spurred discussions about the factors surrounding the Columbine shooting, and mass shootings that have followed.

In particular, two competing scapegoats have re-emerged: the spectre of gun control, and the consequences of a lacking mental healthcare system.

Pro-gun proponents have again labeled the attack, and similar ones to have followed, as failings of the nation’s mental health provisions:

Dylan Klebold’s mom on #abc2020 proves that guns were a small part of Columbine. We have a mental health crisis disguised as a gun crisis.

— Sean Görman (@SeanGorman777) February 13, 2016

The 2020 special with Sue Klebold was so powerful. Let’s talk about mental health issues and not gun issues #ABC2020

— Katie Woodruff (@Katie_Woodruff1) February 13, 2016

My ?? goes out to Sue Klebold. If guns r legalized only the criminals will hav them. This is a mental health issue not a gun issue! #abc2020

— Amanda Alexander (@dingaalexander) February 13, 2016

The ONLY lesson to be learned from Columbine is that there is a complete cultural breakdown in our society..nothing to do with guns #ABC2020

— Joe (@sagecutter) February 13, 2016

Guns aren’t “weapons of mass destruction” and it isn’t fair to blame guns for school shootings. Gun safety and education is key. #ABC2020

— Cassidy. (@Tweets_McGee_) February 13, 2016

The counter-argument focuses on the ease of access to firearms in the United States, with the nation harbouring easily over 300 million guns.

Sue Klebold said no when Dylan asked her to buy him a gun, but a friend got them for him. Easy access to guns is a problem. #abc2020

— Rena (@XGirlNYC) February 13, 2016

FBI expert:’You can’t commit a mass shooting without weapons of mass destruction’Access to guns enables mass shootings #abc2020 #guncontrol

— AdrienneSaxe (@AdrienneSaxe) February 13, 2016

All the guns were purchased legally in this mass school shooting. But I’m sure the gun advocates will ignore that fact #abc2020

— .. (@Cambo_sal) February 13, 2016

So, all the guns were bought legally for the first mass school shooting in America… something to think about. #abc2020 #guncontrol

— A.B. (@racyabacy) February 13, 2016

Of course, the root of the problem probably lies in between both camps; still, Klebold opening the discussion again with such honesty and openness will hopefully kickstart change, one way or another, in a nation that has more than its fair share of mass gun violence.

For the record, Klebold intends to donate the proceeds of her book to charities working in the mental health sector. At least some groups will benefit from her personal tragedy, then.

Sue Klebold: ‘I had all those illusions that everything was ok.’ #abc2020

WATCH: https://t.co/c3xtUPZuNx https://t.co/uf6DrRV0Fu

— 20/20 (@ABC2020) February 11, 2016

Source: CNN.
Photo: Twitter.