Kyle Albert Velasquez, a sixteen-year-old male student at Columbine High School, was tragically killed on April 20, 1999, in what became one of the most infamous school shootings in American history. A quiet and caring individual, Kyle had only been attending Columbine for three months and was just starting to emerge from his shyness. He was known as a 'gentle giant' by those who knew him, a big and happy boy who always wore a smile.
On that fateful morning, Kyle was in the school library, working at a computer. He was caught in the midst of the chaos when two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, began their assault on the school. Having already killed and wounded several people outside and inside the school, the two gunmen entered the library where numerous students were hiding. Kyle was one of the first victims in the library, shot in the head and back by Dylan Klebold while he was under a computer table. In total, twelve students and one teacher lost their lives at Columbine High School that day before Harris and Klebold took their own lives.
The subsequent investigation revealed that the shooters had meticulously planned their attack. Two men, Mark Manes and Philip Duran, were later convicted for their roles in supplying a handgun to the underage perpetrators. Manes was sentenced to six years in prison, while Duran received a four-and-a-half-year sentence for his involvement. Kyle's death was deeply mourned by his family and the community. His funeral was held with military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery, a reflection of his father's naval service and Kyle's own aspirations to join the military.
