Columbine effect

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The Columbine effect is the legacy and impact of the Columbine High School massacre ("Columbine"), which occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. The shooting has had an effect on school safety, policing tactics, prevention methods (including gun control and metal detectors), and inspired numerous copycat crimes, with many perpetrators taking inspiration from Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, often describing them as martyrs or heroes and imitating their methods or outward styles. Dozens more threats never made the news. As of 2024, the Columbine massacre has been directly linked to at least 50 other mass shootings that have left over 300 people dead and over 500 wounded. Columbine has also had a significant impact on popular culture, with Harris and Klebold often depicted and referenced in several forms of media. Media stories often reference Harris, Klebold, and the massacre whenever another school shooting occurs.

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