Coroner: Florida Teenager Who Made School Threats In Colorado, Sol Pais, Died Before Manhunt Began
DENVER (CBSMiami/AP) — Sol Pais, the South Florida teen who was reportedly infatuated by the Columbine shooting, had already taken her own life by the time authorities initiated a massive search in Colorado when they found out she was in the state just before the massacre's 20th annual memorial events, according to a coroner's report on Wednesday.
An autopsy summary by the Clear Creek County coroner estimated that Pais, 18, likely died on April 15, the day authorities said she flew to Denver from Miami. The FBI's Denver office said it learned of Pais' travel the following morning. Agents also learned that Pais had gone directly to a gun store from the airport and purchased a shotgun and ammunition.
Pais was already dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound by the time agents began retracing her steps.
Chief Deputy Coroner Harriet Hamilton said Wednesday that the office is awaiting test results before producing a final autopsy report.
The gun purchase and other warning signs, including Pais' past conversations about the 1999 Columbine shooting, led the FBI and local law enforcement to consider the young woman a potential threat to schools and issue a public warning about her.
Columbine and other schools tightened security the afternoon of April 16 and closed entirely on April 17 when authorities still had not located Pais. She never threatened a specific school, authorities said.
Her body was found on April 17 in the foothills west of Denver. Authorities knew Pais was last seen in the area on April 15, but it was unclear when she killed herself until the coroner's report was released.
"Based on the information we had at the time, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, in conjunction with school districts in the Denver Metro area, took the necessary steps to ensure our communities, and particularly our students, stayed safe until there was no longer a threat," Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader said in a statement.
An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment Wednesday.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
