JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — After a massive manhunt along the Front Range and foothills west of Denver, Sol Pais was found dead by a self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday morning near the base of Mt. Evans, according to multiple high-ranking sources.
The
18-year-old woman from Surfside, Fla.
had been wanted by authorities since Tuesday morning after allegedly making “credible” threats toward schools in the Denver metro area. Pais was “infatuated” with the Columbine school shooting, authorities said. Multiple sources told Denver7 Wednesday morning that she had been found dead around the base of Mt. Evans. Two high-ranking sources told Denver7’s Jace Larson that she took her own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The FBI tweeted shortly afterward that there was no longer a threat to the community.
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader said he didn’t believe there was an active pursuit when she was found dead, though there were plenty of staff on the ground searching in different areas. He said everything they have learned so far does not indicate that she had any assistance — just a fascination with Columbine and the shooting 20 years ago.
We are expecting to learn more at a 11:30 a.m. press conference with Jefferson County Public Schools.
Pais traveled to Colorado on Monday and arrived at Denver International Airport later that day. She went to a gun store and purchased a shotgun and ammunition, according to the FBI. Sources close to the investigation told Denver7 that she legally purchased the shotgun in Littleton. She was last seen in the Foothills of Jefferson County on Monday, but authorities did not name her exact location.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office placed several schools on lockout Tuesday afternoon after the sheriff’s office identified what appeared to be
though the details of the threat were not clear. The sheriff’s office said Pais was connected to the threat and was considered armed and dangerous.
The ABC Station in Miami reported that a man who said he was her father told news crews that he last saw his daughter Sunday and the situation has “been a nightmare” since then.
About
150 schools and districts closed
Wednesday as a precaution.
At a press conference Wednesday morning, Jefferson County Public Schools and the sheriff’s office said they are focusing on getting students back into school Thursday and ensuring upcoming Columbine anniversary events are carried out in a safe manner. Schools Thursday will run as normal, but will have extra security, said JeffCo Public Schools Superintendent Jason Glass.
JeffCo Public Schools School Safety Executive Director John McDonald said Columbine High School is used to threats.
“This one felt different — it was different and it certainly had our attention,” he said.
Closing an entire metro area was not easy, but at the end of the day, they believed it was the best decision to protect students, he said. A student who doesn’t feel safe in class can’t focus or take a test, he said. While this most recent threat is over, McDonald said he knows Columbine continues to attract people from around the world.
THREAT ABOUT MSG FROM McDONALD