VIDEO: Sol Pais Seen In Denver Before Her Death
DENVER (CBS4) - Newly obtained video clips show Sol Pais -- the teenager apparently infatuated with Columbine -- in Denver two days before she was found dead. The videos contradict numerous conspiracy theories that suggested the 18 year old was never in Colorado, and the story was conjured up by authorities for a variety of political reasons.
A CBS4 investigation obtained 25 video clips Monday from Denver International Airport via an open records request. The videos show Pais getting off a flight from Miami at mid-morning on April 15.
She was wearing dark pants, a long sleeve checked flannel shirt, a black t-shirt, a beanie and had a black backpack slung over her shoulder. Pais was wearing glasses. She was never seen with any baggage other than her backpack.
The videos obtained by CBS4 show Pais ambling through the airport, using her cellphone, and apparently getting lost. She boards the DIA train from the "A" concourse to the terminal according to the airport videos. She attempts to get an Uber to leave the airport, but at one point goes to level four to catch the ride. She realizes her mistake and finds her ride on level six.
The FBI previously said the 18 year old arrived in Denver Monday, the 15th, and went straight from the airport to a gun store where she bought a shotgun. She was discovered two days later near Mount Evans, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Before her death, authorities viewed Pais as a "credible threat" to schools and students in the area, and schools across the metro area were closed Wednesday, April 17. With no video released of Pais in Denver, the story gave rise to numerous conspiracy theories on social media.
On one Facebook page a woman wrote, "I don't believe there was one stitch of truth to any of this."
Another wrote the Pais story "is all BS to take us off the path of recalling the governor."
Yet another commenter wrote the Pais saga came about because, "They needed a success story for justifying the ERPO (red flag) law."
On another social media blog, a commenter theorized the Sol Pais story was a pretext to "ban all assault weapons, extended magazines, etc."
Contributing to the conspiracy theories was a lack of video of Pais in Colorado. Up until now, the media has primarily featured several still pictures of Pais.
One person emailed CBS4 last week saying the lack of video of the woman in Colorado "simply doesn't make sense.. so the lack of video footage doesn't fly with me. The people should be provided actual proof of her existence and of her being in.. Denver beginning 4/15/19."
The emergence of the new video from Denver's airport may, or may not, lay those conspiracy theories to rest.
The FBI has said even though Pais is dead, they continue to investigate to determine if anyone else was involved in helping the teenager.