'She Was Just Silent, She Was Kind Of Weird', Fellow Students On Sol Pais
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Friends and neighbors of a Miami Beach Senior High School student who took her own life during a manhunt for her in Colorado after she reportedly made some threatening comments about schools described her as someone who kept to herself.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the FBI said Sol Pais traveled to Colorado from Miami on Monday night and bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition.
Pais made some comments about the Columbine shooting on April 20, 1999, that apparently caused great concern. She was apparently "infatuated with the perpetrators of Columbine."
"Because of her comments and her actions. Because of her travel here to the state. Because of her procurement of a weapon immediately upon arriving here, we consider her to be a credible threat certainly to the community and potentially to schools," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips.
A statewide search was launched for Pais. Late Wednesday morning authorities confirmed that she was dead from died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound near the base of Mt. Evans.
Pais lived in Surfside.
Wednesday morning, FBI agents were seen removing a bag of items from Pais' home in Surfside.
WATCH: FBI REMOVES BAG OF EVIDENCE FROM SOL PAIS' SURFSIDE HOME
Students at Miami Beach Senior High who spoke to CBS4 News said that they didn't see any signs that Pais was infatuated with the Columbine High School shooting as the authorities have said. They described her as a quiet person who kept to herself.
"The girl in Colorado actually, she was my neighbor," said Miguel. "She lived in Surfside, not Miami Beach, and I used to have art class with her. She used to sit right in front of me and they would call her 'dark stars'. She would wear emo clothes and everything, she has her own website. I've looked at it before, I don't know the name of the website, but it's very like weird."
"I went to elementary school with her. She was like super quiet, into her self, she like wouldn't really talk in class," said Valentina Ascano.
"She was just silent, she was kind of weird," said senior Mike Kramer. "It's so random, I did not expect this at all."
Authorities haven't said exactly what she said to cause concern and it's not clear if those comments were made before or after her purchase of a pump-action shotgun. She apparently wasn't specifically threatening any specific school in her comments.
Miami-Dade Public Schools is cooperating in the federal investigation of a Surfside teen who reportedly flew to Colorado, bought a pump action shotgun and made threatening comments about the schools in the Denver area.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho posted a video on Facebook concerning 18-year-old Miami Beach High School student Sol Pais.
"According to law enforcement, the student was last seen in Colorado and the threats appear to be limited to schools in that area. There is no immediate threat to Miami-Dade Schools. However, in an abundance of caution and as a matter of prevention, we have heightened our alert systems and have disseminated information regarding this individual, including her picture, to all schools throughout the District," said in the video.
WATCH: SUPERINTENDENT ALBERTO CARVALHO'S STATEMENT
Carvalho said law enforcement officials are conducting a comprehensive background check on Pais and the initial results show she has not been the subject of any investigation.
From journal writings and blog posts that appear to be from Pais, we learn that she was a troubled young woman.
In January of this year, there was this post, "I feel like a pot of scolding water on the verge of boiling over." She also wrote, "My soul is in deep suffering and dis-belonging."
Last September this post appeared, "I can't even begin to explain to you how difficult it is to live with myself."
And last August, "This life I can't do it anymore."
A social media post from a page that apparently belonged to Pais read, ""Be the best killer you can be."
In the online journal that appears to belong to Pais are drawings of guns, rifles and a cage that reads "I can't get out." Her last entry that is posted on her website is from March 30. The entry contains the lyrics to a Nine Inch Nails song and her signature is on the bottom of the page. In the journal writings Pais recently spoke about her struggles and her plans.
"...I'm back to planning and organizing again so I basically spent the first few hours of my birthday cleaning through my belongings in preparation of my death huh gotta do what you gotta do."
It's unclear what her plans were and what she felt she had to do. But investigators say her choices led her to Colorado where she terrified untold people on the eve of the 20 year mark since the deadly Columbine shootings.
Students at Miami Beach Senior High School, which Pais attended, said she kept to herself.
"She was super quiet," said Valentina Ascano. "Into herself. She wouldn't talk in class."
The whole experience was unsettling for students.
"It's so random," said Mike Kramer. "I didn't expect this at all. I didn't think it was real at first. It's crazy."
Carvalho spoke at the high school on Wednesday afternoon after Pais was found dead in Colorado.
"The loss of a young life is to be noticed, is to be acknowledged. It is to be mourned."
Carvalho said they've raised security level at schools not necessarily because of this case but because of the 20-year mark since Columbine and a fear of copycat attackers. He said grief counselors will be at Miami Beach High for students who need help. Carvalho also said they have not found any law enforcement involvement or disciplinary measures against Pais.
