zhi yang: analysis of event

Times

The times news started the story with a very strong tone “In the deadliest school massacre in the nation’s history”. The massacre began about 11:30 am. The two gunmen, who believed to be Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, wearing ski masks, stalked through the school as they fired semiautomatic weapons at students and teachers and tossed explosives. One bomb exploded in the library, and one is in a car. Two more cars were rigged with bombs. There were totally 30 bombs found several places found at school. The killer’s arsenal included a 9 millimeters semiautomatic rifle, two pistol-grip shotguns, one handgun and at least 100 rounds of ammunition. About 3 pm, hundreds of police officers police officers evacuated the building and searched for the gunmen. A fire truck and an armored car were used to get close to the building. Dozens of students raced out the building, some slipping in the mud, others holding up their hands in the air or behind their heads. 15 people were killed in the massacre including two gunmen. Most of the bodies were found in the school’s entrance, the library and the common cafeteria. Many of students rescued from the massacre were interviewed. One says that she can’t believe the massacre was happening to her school. Students revealed that gunmen were part of a group of misfits who called themselves the trench coat mafia, which expressed disdain for racial minority and athletes. They were easily noticed at the school since they wore the long black coats every day. Residents who had known them didn’t consider they were threads. School official had reports of trouble from the murderers that they were arrested for breaking into a car and they once threatened a particular student. Two friends of the gunmen were in custody for questioning associated with the shooting. The families of those killed were being notified and mass shooting revived memories of similar tragedies last year. President Clinton sent a crisis-response team to aid the school community and the victim’s families. President expressed he was profoundly shocked and saddened by the tragedy and said the nation should focus on praying for victim’s families. The siege after the shooting was broadcast live without commercial breaks all afternoon. The school shooting lead lawmakers in Alabama and florida to postpone consideration of bill that would prohibit cities and counties from suing gun makers for the cost of gun vilence.