25 years after the horrors of Columbine ...nothing's changed

Like the moon landing in 1969 or the searing memory of the September 11 attacks, Americans vividly recall where they were on April 20, 1999.

- CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

What should have been an ordinary Tuesday morphed into a pivotal moment in US history following the harrowing events at Columbine High School.

Today marks 25 years since students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, committed a meticulously planned massacre in tranquil Littleton, Colorado.

Despite a quarter of a century passing, parents like Tom Mauser, whose 15-year-old son Daniel fell victim to the tragedy, painfully acknowledge nothing has changed.

"We cannot wait another 25 years to get a significant gun safety legislature," said Mr Mauser, who, since his son's death, has worked tirelessly to bring about gun reform.

"The story is not over - not just for the Columbine community, but in the case of all gun violence.

"It's important to know that for the people who've lived through gun violence, the story is never over." Clad in trench coats and armed with a lethal arsenal of guns and explosives, Harris and Klebold targeted students outside the school before continuing their rampage within.

By 11.35am, they had claimed the lives of 12 fellow students and a teacher, with an additional 23 wounded.

Motivated by a toxic blend of resentment, nihilism and a craving for infamy, they prowled the corridors with chilling determination.

Shortly after noon, they turned their weapons on themselves, sealing their fates with self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

In the immediate aftermath, lawmakers on Capitol Hill proffered their "thoughts and prayers," pledging swift action to safeguard innocent lives from gun violence.

Yet mass school shootings still dominate the headlines and firearms now stand as the leading cause of death among children aged one to 17, eclipsing injury or illness.

The child firearm mortality rate has doubled since 2013, from 1.8 deaths per 100,000 to 3.7 in 2021.