Columbine High School principal Frank DeAngelis wasn’t at his computer Wednesday when the e-mail arrived at 10:35 a.m.
The writer addressed DeAngelis simply as “Principal” and wrote that he remembered Columbine and that DeAngelis soon would hear about a school shooting in North Carolina.
About thirty minutes later, Alvaro Castillo, 19 – who is listed as the e-mail’s author – opened fire on his former high school in Hillsborough, N.C., police said.
Two students were slightly wounded. Castillo’s father was found slain at home.
DeAngelis did not open the e-mail until four hours after the shooting, school officials said Thursday. He immediately notified authorities.
“He’s devastated, absolutely traumatized,” said Lynn Setzer, spokeswoman for Jefferson County Public Schools. “It is so raw for him. It just brings back so much and he relives it.”
The e-mail read: “Dear Principal. In a few hours you will probably hear about a school shooting in North Carolina. I am responsible for it. I remember Columbine. It is time the world remembered it. I am sorry. Goodbye.”
DeAngelis didn’t check e-mail until after 1 p.m. Wednesday; he had been “doing what principals are supposed to do – he was out in the school,” Setzer said.
In North Carolina, police found homemade pipe bombs, a large bag of ammunition, a 9mm rifle and a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun in the van Castillo drove to school. Bombs also were removed from Castillo’s home.
Such details are eerily reminiscent of the Columbine tragedy of April 20, 1999, in which 12 students and a teacher were shot to death by two students who then killed themselves.
An e-mail about the situation was sent Thursday afternoon to Columbine parents.
“Our hearts go out to the Hillsborough community and particularly the students who will be deeply affected by this event,” DeAngelis states. “I regret any unwanted memories this brings up. We are all deeply affected by this unfortunate event.”
Setzer said DeAngelis can’t remember getting any other message in which there was a threat to Columbine or any other school.
Orange County, N.C., investigators interviewed DeAngelis by phone Thursday morning.
Sheriff’s office records show DeAngelis called at 1:14 p.m. to report a “disturbing e-mail.”
Deputies spent several minutes trying to determine where to send an alert in North Carolina, since the e-mail did not specify a city, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Jacki Kelley. Then they learned of the Hillsborough shooting and contacted the Orange County sheriff, as did Jefferson County Public Schools security.
Diaries mentioning Columbine were seized from Castillo’s home, said Orange County Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass.
Castillo also mentioned Columbine as he arrived Thursday at his first court appearance.
When asked why he fixated on Columbine, Castillo – who witnesses said was wearing a black trench coat similar to those worn by killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris – said he didn’t know.
He was ordered held without bail at Raleigh’s Central Prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
This story has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to incorrect information provided by sources, it misstated the time the e-mail had been sent to DeAngelis. The e-mail arrived Wednesday at 10:35 a.m. MDT, roughly 30 minutes before the shooting at a high school in Hillsborough, N.C.
