Jeffco released several videos of the killers, but they do not appear on the Official Sheriff's Report CD, because they were released much later. All video available is listed and described in the EVIDENCE section (see main menu). That section also provides instructions for you to obtain your own copies of any of those from Jeffco.

To view on the web: Most or all of the material is online. However, YouTube seems to have implemented a policy of forbidding it, so you will find mostly videos of people talking about it there. Other sites with the actual footage come and go, so I took down my direct links, as they keep going bad. Here are descriptions of two most of the important clips, with suggestions for searching for them:

• Rampart Range: Eric & Dylan went out for target practice with friends several times in the spring of 1999, to an area in the foothills called Rampart Range. Several minutes of one of those sessions was recorded on videotape, March 6. The other friends appearing on the tape are Mark Manes, Phil Duran, and Mark's girfriend Jessica. (This is described in greater depth in "An Emotion of God," chapter 48 of my book,) Eric and Dylan are clearly visible, and the versions I've seen on the web are authentic. Try this search. As of this posting, something called myvideo.de had authentic clips.

• Hitmen for Hire: Eric & Dylan made several video projects for class, including "Hitmen For Hire," where they play hitmen extorting cash from classmates who want protection. These are authentic, but keep in mind that Eric and Dylan are acting and playing characters. These are not their normal personalities. (Segments of Dylan, in particular, are often edited into other material to make him look crazy. He is only playing crazy for the cameras.) Some other video footage floating out there is not acting—it's from bits the boys shot of their daily life. For "Hitmen" try this search. Note that all of this footage is different from The Basement Tapes.

The Basement Tapes

Beginning March 15, 1999, Eric and Dylan made a series of videotapes specifically addressing the attack they planned, and expressing their reasons. Because many of the installments were filmed in Eric's basement, they came to be known as The Basement Tapes. As of 2010, these have never been released, or leaked, even in part. Any footage on the web purporting to be from The Basement Tapes is fake—or is actually part of the material described above.

However, the tapes have been heavily documented, through several means:

• A Jeffco sheriff's officer wrote out a very detailed accounting of the entire contents, with numerous direct quotes. The official document runs ten pages, single-spaced, and was released by Jeffco. I have scanned all ten pages. They are listed as The Basement Tapes, under the KILLERS main menu.

• The tapes were shown to a small group of reporters one time (with separate showings to Time, Rocky Mountain News, and the families). All those news organizations printed stories the next day, summarizing and quoting.

• The head of the FBI investigation, Supervisory Special Agent Dwayne Fuselier—a clinical psychologist with a PhD—watched every frame of the tapes dozens of times, analyzing them meticulously.

• I made up detailed spreadsheets compiling all known published data on the tapes (including all the above), to resconstruct most of the contents, and then reviewed them at length with Dr. Fuselier, and with Lead Investigator Kate Battan. I have not published the spreadsheets, but a narrative account of the most significant parts appears as "The Basement Tapes," Chapter 50 of Columbine.

Memorials, Tributes & Video on Surivors

A wealth of videos on the victims and survivors have been posted, including tributes and interviews with families and survivors over the years. Most appear on YouTube, which welcomes them. Search on the name of a survivor or victim there.

Selected Videos

Air news footage of the west parking lot, 4/20/99

 

The scene at Leewood Elementary school, 4/20/99

 

Surveillance Camera footage from the Commons

 

Patrick Ireland: Then and Now

 

News footage from a showcase of physical evidence at the school

 

Decision to release the Journals and other items of evidence - but not the Basement Tapes

 

My book trailer, which summarizes the killers' motives and the aftermath in 3 minutes

 

Video for Classes & Book Clubs

I created a video series for schools, students, teachers or book clubs using my book. It includes topics on structure, characters, etc.