High School Shooting Victim's Demise Classified as Homicide After Nearly a Quarter-Century
Groundbreaking News:
Denver, Colorado - A new ruling has officially declared the death of a courageous woman who survived the infamous Columbine High School shooting as a homicide, upping the death toll of the devastating event to 14.
Anne Marie Hochhalter, a resilient spirit who managed to endure partial paralysis from the tragic shooting, passed away on February 16, 2023. The Coroner's Office of Jefferson County reported that her fatal complication was a combination of sepsis and her long-term paralysis. She was 43.
For years, friends and family suspected her death was the result of her injuries sustained in the horrific attack, which claimed the lives of 12 students and a teacher in 1999. The two assailants ultimately took their own lives. Owing to the impact her paralysis had on her health, the investigation into her passing was handed over to the office that evaluated the Columbine shootings.
Hochhalter battled relentless pain from her gunshot wounds in the years following the tragedy, yet she displayed an unwavering determination to push through the difficulties and remain positive. Described as an extremely compassionate individual, she was devoted to assisting others, including those with disabilities and her loved ones, and adored dogs.
In a heartfelt letter written in 2016, Hochhalter extended forgiveness to the mother of one of the gunmen, Sue Klebold. She reminded Klebold, "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."
Tragically, Hochhalter's own suffering was intensified six months after the shooting, when her mother, Carla Hochhalter, ended her life by suicide. Anne Marie claimed her mother's depression, rather than the Columbine tragedy, was the root of her suicide.
Post her mother's passing, Anne Marie formed a bond with the family of another shooting victim, Lauren Townsend. Townsend's stepmother, Sue Townsend, reached out to provide support for Hochhalter to help cope with her loss, which eventually led to Hochhalter joining their family dinners and vacation adventures.
Ann Marie participated in a remembrance vigil last year, marking the 25th anniversary of the shooting, following a five-year absence due to post-traumatic stress disorder. She expressed an overwhelming surge of happy memories from her childhood and urged those killed to be remembered for the lives they lived, not the manner of their deaths.
"I've truly been able to heal my soul since that awful day in 1999," wrote Anne Marie.
- Us, as a community, grieved once more with the announcement of Anne Marie Hochhalter's death, a victim of the Columbine High School shooting whose passing was recently declared a homicide.
- After a lengthy investigation, the office that evaluated the Columbine shootings, understanding her strong will and resilience, agreed with friends and family that Anne Marie's death was a result of the injuries sustained during the shooting.
- remembers Anne Marie Hochhalter, a compassionate individual, not only for her bravery after the Columbine tragedy but also for her kind heart, her service to others, and her love for dogs.
