Denver — Anne Marie Hochhalter, a Columbine High School mass shooting survivor, died Sunday, according to her former principal, Frank DeAngelis, who spoke with Nexstar’s KDVR on Monday.
Hochhalter, 43, was shot and paralyzed during the tragedy on April 20, 1999, and has used a wheelchair for the past 25 years. During the massacre, two seniors shot and killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves. Another 21 people were injured by gunfire.
According to the Denver Post, she was discovered dead on Sunday in her Westminster, Colorado, home.
According to Sue Townsend, stepmother of Lauren Townsend, who was killed in the Columbine shooting, her death appears to be the result of complications from her shooting injuries.
Hochhalter spoke out in 2016 in support of the mother of one of the shooters, who published a book about the mass shooting, focusing on her relationship with grief and struggles with shame.
Hochhalter stated in a lengthy Facebook post at the time that she was unsure whether she would ever read the book, but that she had forgiven the mass murderer’s mother.
Hochhalter also spoke out publicly in 2012 to support the families and survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
“I really hope the good stories will come out and show a community can come together just like Littleton did after Columbine,” Hochhalter told the media. “I feel helpless when I hear about these things, but I want to help. “I just don’t know how.”
During a 2024 memorial event, her brother, Nathan, described being trapped in a classroom with approximately 30 students while hearing gunfire nearby. SWAT officers rescued them four hours later, he said. Their mother killed herself six months after the shooting.
“I just want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that it is okay to ask for help, no matter what your situation is, whether you are a survivor 25 years later or someone who is struggling with any aspect of their life. These things come in waves and can strike you unexpectedly. Nathan Hochhalter said, “You should know that we are all here for you and that you are not alone.”
