[discostu]

Cops need to be smart during gun fights regardless of who's being killed. Being stupid (like running into an unknown building containing an unknown number of armed assailants in unknown positions) and getting themselves killed wouldn't have saved the life of a single child.

[zeugma]

You're right. It's much safer (for the cops) to cower behind their cars. In typical jack-boot fashion they are cowards who are too concerned about their own precious hides to put down their donuts and do the job they are paid to do. This is what you get when you let schoolyard bullies have guns and a badge when they (allegedly) grow up.

[SJSAMPLE]

True. But there was very little running by ANY of the cops that showed up at Columbine that day. Even the SWAT team members, as they arrived separately and in groups, stayed outside the building, fully armed and armored, while the carnage was continuing inside.

Those men were trained and equipped to handle situations like this, and they did NOTHING. The number of assailants might have been unknown, but the fact there students were being murdered inside WAS known. Do we pay our police to protect the public (at large, in general) only when they have superior numbers, superior firepower, and no chance of injury?

Wether this was due to cowardice or policy varies from officer to officer, as several officers stated that they were ready and willing to enter the building, but were told to stay outside.

All in all, though, it was a catastrophic failure in both intercepting known agitants and ending the carnage. If C&H had not taken their own lives, I don't doubt that the killing would have continued, unabated.

[Drew68]

Cops need to be smart during gun fights regardless of who's being killed. Being stupid (like running into an unknown building containing an unknown number of armed assailants in unknown positions) and getting themselves killed wouldn't have saved the life of a single child.

A voice of reason.

Furthermore, the shooting lasted 20-25 minutes tops. By the time the cops could even grasp the reality of what was happening, Eric and Dylan had shot themselves.

SWAT teams simply were not trained for the type of situation that happened on 04/20/99.

FWIW, A very close family member of mine survived the library that day.

[CdMGuy]

Using your logic, we can save money by firing all the cops and hiring far less expensive sanitation workers to go in and sweep up the dead and injured a few hours after all is quiet.