Columbine shooting death toll rises to 14 a quarter-century later - NYT

For over a quarter of a century, the death toll in the Columbine High School mass shooting in the United States was 13 victims. But now another name has been added to the list: Anne Marie Hochhalter, who was a student at the time and was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting. Her death on February 16 was officially classified as a homicide by a coroner in Colorado, bringing the death toll to 14, according to The New York Times, writes UNN.

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In a 13-page autopsy report, Dr. Dawn B. Holmes, a forensic pathologist with the Jefferson County Coroner's Office, linked Ms. Hochhalter's death to injuries she sustained as a 17-year-old schoolgirl.

"Complications of paraplegia due to two (2) gunshot wounds are a significant contributing factor," Dr. Holmes wrote.

The report, obtained by The New York Times on Thursday, said Ms. Hochhalter died of sepsis, an immune response to infection.

Twelve students and a teacher were killed when two heavily armed students opened fire at a school in Littleton, Colorado, on April 20, 1999, before taking their own lives. At the time, it was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Another 21 people were injured.

Ms. Hochhalter was having lunch with friends when the shooting began. She was shot twice in the chest and back. Despite experiencing medical problems as a result of her injuries throughout her life and being forced to use a wheelchair, Ms. Hochhalter maintained her independence and often spoke out about gun violence, the publication writes.

Her brother Nathan, who was a freshman at Columbine at the time of the shooting but was not injured, said on Thursday that it made no sense to count his sister among the others who were killed that day.

"She got an extra 26 years," said Mr. Hochhalter. "She was very independent, but it wasn't an easy 26 years".

Police officers found Ms. Hochhalter's body in her home in Westminster, Colorado, on February 16 during a welfare check.