Running head: CHOICE AND TRAIT THEORY 1
Grand Canyon University: JUS-212-TR900A
Choice and Trait Theory
The columbine shooting happened on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School in
Littleton, Colorado. According to an article History.com, it mentioned that it was the worst high
school shooting in U.S. history. The killer’s names were Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Dylan
was 17 years old andEric was 18 years old. Dylan felt like he did not belong in that high school.
Dylan and Eric had a lot of hatred for that school. They also got arrested in junior year of high
school. They had a criminal record even before they decided to shoot and bomb the school.
Biography.com stated "The two were arrested after they broke into a van and stole some things
, CHOICE AND TRAIT THEORY 2
out of the vehicle. They were both charged with theft, criminal mischief, and criminal
trespassing." Since they already committed a crime before, they had the adrenaline to commit
another crime. They already had a hatred for the school, so I think that is what gave them the
idea.
[Heading 1]
In the Columbine shooting, Dylan and Eric were using choice theory in this because they
felt the need to shoot their classmates and a teacher. They chose to do it and they decided to do
this act. According to an article called "Portrait of a deadly bond", the parents of student Brook
Browns discovered something on Eric's website. Eric said something full of hatred on his
website and it said to “blow up and shoot everything I can. Feel no remorse, no sense of
shame...I do not care if I live or die in the shootout, all I want to do is kill and injure as many of
you as I can, especially a few people. Like Brooks Brown.” He threatened Brooks even before
the shooting, so he was planning on doing it all along with his best friend Dylan. Dylan followed
Harris’ footsteps into this plan, but it was their choice to do something this tragic to innocent
people. What seems interesting is that Brooks mentioned that Eric was a nice guy and he thought
he changed after he threatened him. He could have done that to stay low for a while until he
decided to kill at Columbine.
[Heading 2]1
In the video I was watching on Columbine-guide.com, Dave Cullen said “I wrote the
book Columbine and it’s about two boys who seemed very normal and had opposite
personalities, moving in opposite directions yet arriving in the same place.” This crime uses trait
Grand Canyon University: JUS-212-TR900A
Choice and Trait Theory
The columbine shooting happened on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School in
Littleton, Colorado. According to an article History.com, it mentioned that it was the worst high
school shooting in U.S. history. The killer’s names were Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Dylan
was 17 years old andEric was 18 years old. Dylan felt like he did not belong in that high school.
Dylan and Eric had a lot of hatred for that school. They also got arrested in junior year of high
school. They had a criminal record even before they decided to shoot and bomb the school.
Biography.com stated "The two were arrested after they broke into a van and stole some things
, CHOICE AND TRAIT THEORY 2
out of the vehicle. They were both charged with theft, criminal mischief, and criminal
trespassing." Since they already committed a crime before, they had the adrenaline to commit
another crime. They already had a hatred for the school, so I think that is what gave them the
idea.
[Heading 1]
In the Columbine shooting, Dylan and Eric were using choice theory in this because they
felt the need to shoot their classmates and a teacher. They chose to do it and they decided to do
this act. According to an article called "Portrait of a deadly bond", the parents of student Brook
Browns discovered something on Eric's website. Eric said something full of hatred on his
website and it said to “blow up and shoot everything I can. Feel no remorse, no sense of
shame...I do not care if I live or die in the shootout, all I want to do is kill and injure as many of
you as I can, especially a few people. Like Brooks Brown.” He threatened Brooks even before
the shooting, so he was planning on doing it all along with his best friend Dylan. Dylan followed
Harris’ footsteps into this plan, but it was their choice to do something this tragic to innocent
people. What seems interesting is that Brooks mentioned that Eric was a nice guy and he thought
he changed after he threatened him. He could have done that to stay low for a while until he
decided to kill at Columbine.
[Heading 2]1
In the video I was watching on Columbine-guide.com, Dave Cullen said “I wrote the
book Columbine and it’s about two boys who seemed very normal and had opposite
personalities, moving in opposite directions yet arriving in the same place.” This crime uses trait
