Littleton, Colo., School Shootings: April 20, 1999

The Gestation of a News Story

At approximately 11:30 a.m. MDT the morning of April 20, 1999, two students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., began opening fire at the school. Over the next couple of hours, they would kill more than a dozen students and teachers before taking their own lives. CNN Interactive first reported the story about 45 minutes into the siege, at 2:17 p.m. EDT. In the succeeding hours, CNN updated its story as additional information became available. Through the links below, you can see how the story developed, and how early unconfirmed information was later proven incorrect.

Click on listing for each story to view the story.  Use the "back" button on your browser to return to this page when you're done reading each story.

April 20:
2:47 p.m. EDT: Gunmen open fire at Denver area high school
3:09 p.m. EDT: Gunmen open fire at Colorado school; some students trapped
3:54 p.m. EDT: Three detained in school shooting
4:55 p.m. EDT: SWAT teams trying to rescue students from Colorado school
5:48 p.m. EDT: Fatalities reported in Denver area school shooting
6:56 p.m. EDT: Sheriff: Gunmen at Colorado school were on 'suicide mission'
10:46 p.m. EDT: As many as 25 dead in Colorado school attack

April 21:
7:30 a.m. EDT: Colorado school shooters identified
10:50 a.m. EDT: Bodies remain inside school as police check for bombs
1:01 p.m. EDT: Bodies remain inside school as police check for bombs
3:50 p.m. EDT: School cleared of bombs, investigators enter

April 22:
12:51 a.m. EDT: Investigators: 2 shooting suspects may have had help
4:36 a.m. EDT: Littleton begins long search for answers
9:29 a.m. EDT: Littleton looks for answers
1:12 p.m. EDT: Colorado school closed indefinitely
1:50 p.m. EDT: New bombs found at Colorado school
2:07 p.m. EDT: More bombs found at school; possible suicide note
2:27 p.m. EDT: The dead at Columbine High