15 brutal deaths occur in a singular day in a Colorado high school. Dave Cullen’s book Columbine scrutinizes the Columbine High School massacre along with its investigative reports, rumors and murderers. On April 20, 1999, two Columbine High School seniors, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, fail to completely execute their meticulous plan to massacre. However, their open fire at their school rapidly horrifies their community and nation. The press arrives before the SWAT team penetrates the building. Curiosity and bewilderment surround the fatal circumstance. Before the final report from law enforcement and investigative services promulgates, the media is the nation's outlet for knowledge regarding the murders. Relationships the media has between
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Authoritative groups in charge of the investigation of the Columbine High School massacre are anxious about publicizing information and wording every sentence precisely in their reports. The boys’ previous criminal background and the Open Space meeting are undisclosed and the police want to avoid leaking that information. However, the grieving families and the public are desperate for closure and pressure the organizations for a release of the final reports. Numerous families involve courts in an attempt to obtain the knowledge learned in the investigation. “Eventually, Jeffco was ordered to release almost everything, except the supposedly incendiary items: the killers’ journal and the Basement Tapes.”(315) Since the press covering the massacre is unaware of a majority of factual data for years, coverage of the story is less factual and more subjective and speculative. Investigations can be attempted by the media, but without the entire amount of evidence, the massacre is unfairly evaluated and therefore the probability of erroneous reporting is increased. Without certainty of information, journalists struggle to report precise details because of misconceptions. Theories about Columbine are quickly spread, which in turn makes it more challenging for journalists to correct their statements because they do not have reliable evidence to base reports off of. Police retaining evidence from the massacre results in media publicizing and creating
Authoritative groups in charge of the investigation of the Columbine High School massacre are anxious about publicizing information and wording every sentence precisely in their reports. The boys’ previous criminal background and the Open Space meeting are undisclosed and the police want to avoid leaking that information. However, the grieving families and the public are desperate for closure and pressure the organizations for a release of the final reports. Numerous families involve courts in an attempt to obtain the knowledge learned in the investigation. “Eventually, Jeffco was ordered to release almost everything, except the supposedly incendiary items: the killers’ journal and the Basement Tapes.”(315) Since the press covering the massacre is unaware of a majority of factual data for years, coverage of the story is less factual and more subjective and speculative. Investigations can be attempted by the media, but without the entire amount of evidence, the massacre is unfairly evaluated and therefore the probability of erroneous reporting is increased. Without certainty of information, journalists struggle to report precise details because of misconceptions. Theories about Columbine are quickly spread, which in turn makes it more challenging for journalists to correct their statements because they do not have reliable evidence to base reports off of. Police retaining evidence from the massacre results in media publicizing and creating