Columbine Shooting Claims Another Life
In a tragic turn of events, the death of Anne Marie Hochhalter, a survivor of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, has been ruled a homicide nearly 26 years after the attack. This reclassification raises the official death toll of the massacre to 14.
Circumstances Surrounding Her Death
Hochhalter was found dead in her Westminster, Colorado, home on Feb. 16, 2025, at age 43. An autopsy revealed she died from complications related to sepsis and her paralysis. The Jefferson County Coroner determined that these health problems stemmed directly from the injuries she sustained in the Columbine shooting, and thus classified her death as a homicide.
The 1999 Columbine High School Shooting
Hochhalter was a 17-year-old junior at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, when two students opened fire on their classmates and teachers, killing 13 people and injuring 23 before taking their own lives.
Hochhalter had just stepped outside for some fresh air when she heard a popping sound and suddenly felt something strike her back. In a 2004 interview with PEOPLE, she recalled initially thinking it was a paintball gun. As a friend tried to help her, she was hit again — this time by a bullet that struck a vein, causing life-altering injuries that would leave her paralyzed from the waist down. Hochhalter said she believes if the ambulance had arrived even two minutes after it did, she would have died.
Anne Marie Hochhalter's Life Post-Tragedy
Despite lifelong medical complications from her injuries, her journey was marked further by personal tragedy beyond the Columbine shooting. Just six months after the attack, her own mother committed suicide — an unimaginable loss that added another layer of grief to her recovery.
After the loss of her mother, Anne Marie Hochhalter found solace in an unexpected but deeply meaningful connection with another family affected by the same tragedy. She developed a close bond with the Townsend family, whose daughter Lauren was one of the 13 victims killed at Columbine.
Sue Townsend, Lauren's stepmother, reflected on their relationship as something both heartbreaking and healing. "This relationship would never had happened if it hadn't been for Columbine," Townsend said, as reported by the Associated Press. "So I tried to focus on the gift that Columbine gave us in Anne Marie instead of what it took away."
Over time, Hochhalter became extremely close to the Townsend family, sharing in birthdays, holidays, vacations, and the quiet, everyday moments that brought comfort through shared grief and love.
Choosing Compassion Over Bitterness
In 2016, Hochhalter gained national attention when she publicly forgave Sue Klebold, the mother of shooter Dylan Klebold. Sue had recently published a memoir exploring the factors that led to her son's violence and advocating for mental health awareness. She also committed to donating proceeds from the book to organizations supporting mental health care.
In response, Hochhalter said in a message she posted on Facebook, "A good friend once told me, 'Bitterness is like swallowing a poison pill and expecting the other person to die.' It only harms yourself. I have forgiven you and only wish you the best," as reported by the AP. Hochhalter's decision to offer forgiveness, even in the face of such deep personal loss, further highlighted her strength and compassion.
Impact on the Columbine Community
The decision to classify Hochhalter's death as a homicide has had a ripple effect through the Columbine community. Sue Townsend told the Denver Post, "She was a fighter. She'd get knocked down — she struggled a lot with health issues that stemmed from the shooting — but I'd watch her pull herself back up. She was her best advocate and an advocate for others who weren't as strong in the disability community."
With her death now officially linked to the 1999 attack, the scope of Columbine's devastation has deepened, highlighting the importance of long-term care and support for survivors.
References: 2025 Death of Columbine Survivor, Who Was Paralyzed in 1999 Shooting, Ruled as Homicide | Columbine survivor Anne Marie Hochhalter, who forgave gunman's mother, dies at 43 | She was a fighter. She’d get knocked down — she struggled a lot with health issues that stemmed from the shooting — but I’d watch her pull herself back up | Columbine Five Years Later | Anne Marie Hochhalter's Post
