Greenwood Village – Cherry Creek High School was quiet and, students said, “half empty” today after the Virginia Tech shootings, local rumors and the three-time appearance of the scrawled message “Columbine will reoccur” in a school bathroom.
Greenwood Village police provided extra security patrols at the high school today, spokeswoman Tustin Amole said. She estimated that attendance was down about 30 percent, in part because 200 of the school’s 3,775 students were excused to attend a funeral.
But more than a dozen students queried today said they thought that half or more of their classmates had stayed home.
Junior Angelica Cruz said that the best-attended class of her morning was physical education, with 18 of the 34 enrolled students showing up.
Every year around the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine school shootings, there have been rumors that Cherry Creek is next, Cruz said. With the recent killings at Virginia Tech, tensions and rumors have escalated, she said.
The statement “Columbine will reoccur” appeared in one of the girls bathrooms March 23, April 6 and 17, according to a letter sent by the district to parents. On April 6, someone wrote “420” in pencil on a bathroom door in a boys restroom, the letter said.
Cruz said neither the date nor graffiti made her nervous. She said most of the students who stayed away from school were using the anniversary as an excuse to miss school – either that or their parents were nervous because of the massacre at Virginia Tech.
Others disagreed that all students took the potential threat lightly at Cherry Creek.
“A lot of kids take this seriously,” said senior Drew Fisher.
“My brother didn’t come today because he was freaked out,” said senior Amber Feese, who personally was not concerned.
Some absent students were observing a different event associated with 4/20 – a day set aside in some circles to protest laws against marijuana use, said seniors Matt Ferrell and Carl Schroeder.
Several students said the confluence of events and scrawled messages were nerve-racking.
“They’re telling us everything is OK, but they’re still bringing in more security,” said Ryan Gibbs.
