Fifteen Years After Columbine High School Gunfire

World Today

It was 15 years ago this weekend that two students opened fire at a Colorado high school, killing 12 of their classmates and a teacher before turning their guns on themselves. The Columbine massacre shocked the small town of Littleton and the rest of the world. Recently, CCTV’s Hendrik Sybrandy, who covered the shootings, sat down with the parents of one of the victims. They recounted that day’s events and spoke of what, if anything, has been learned since.

Fifteen Years After Columbine High School Gunfire

It was 15 years ago this weekend that two students opened fire at a Colorado high school, killing 12 of their classmates and a teacher before turning their guns on themselves. The Columbine massacre shocked the small town of Littleton and the rest of the world. Recently, CCTV's Hendrik Sybrandy, who covered the shootings, sat down with the parents of one of the victims. They recounted that day's events and spoke of what, if anything, has been learned since.

April 20, 1999. Gunfire and kids’ screams pierce a Colorado spring morning. Parents of Columbine High School students rush to school to hug their children but not everyone is that lucky.

By nightfall, 15-year-old Danny Rohrbough has still not come home. The next morning, as his stepfather pores through the local newspaper, a family member tries contacting yet another hospital.

And so began Rich and Sue Petrone’s lives post-Columbine, an experience shared by Danny’s father and many others in the Littleton community.

The Petrones have drawn on each other, their family and careers to push through the heartache. They’re still angry that warning signs about the Columbine shooters were not acted on beforehand. They’re disappointed that other school shootings followed this one.

One question Danny’s mom doesn’t ask: What would her son be like today at age 30.