Colorado police capture 'dangerous' teen 'infatuated' with Columbine
DENVER (Reuters) - Colorado authorities on Wednesday captured a Florida teenager who they believed was armed and “infatuated” with the Columbine massacre, after she traveled to the state days before the 20th anniversary of the school attack, local media reported.
Sol Pais, identified as an 18-year-old woman from Surfside, Florida, who authorities called “extremely dangerous,” was taken into custody in Clear Creek County. That is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Columbine High School, where two teenaged male students shot and killed 12 classmates and a teacher on April 20, 1999, before committing suicide.
Area schools were closed on Wednesday as FBI agents, Jefferson County deputies and Colorado state troopers searched for Pais.
Pais flew from Miami to Denver on Monday, where she bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition, FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips said at a news conference late on Tuesday. Denver is adjacent to Jefferson County.
Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver, additional reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, and additional writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Larry King and Bill Berkrot
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.