The Basement Tapes
What are the "Basement Tapes?"
The "Basement Tapes" are a series of home videos recorded by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold leading up to the massacre where they discuss their reasons for the shooting and show off their arsenal of guns, knives, and bombs.
Portions of the tapes were shown to families and Tim Roche from TIME Magazine early on, but were quickly sealed and then ordered to be destroyed. After Roche published a lengthy article on the tapes that included direct quotes, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department claimed they didn't know Roche was going to run a story on the tapes, and that viewing the tapes was supposed to be "off the record."
Roche and TIME Magazine claim there was no such agreement and it was explicitly known he would be doing a story about the tapes. Since Roche was allowed to pause the tape, rewind, and take notes, it's hard to believe the JCSO's version of the story. You can listen to Roche's interview with NPR describing what he saw.
Tim Roche was never shown the full 2+ hours of tapes. According to the Rocky Mountain News, lead investigator Kate Battan "selected segments of the tapes that she felt would give Roche an understanding of Harris and Klebold and their murderous plans for Columbine High School."
The JCSO claimed Roche was actually writing a story about the investigation, not the tapes.
"Roche, Dunaway said, indicated that Time was not interested in a story on Harris and Klebold but rather a piece on the investigation and the response of SWAT teams. Consequently, Dunaway said, he and Stone believed showing portions of the tapes to Roche would help him develop background for the story." 'On that basis, we allowed them to see these segments of the tapes,' Dunaway said. (RMN, Dec. 13, 1999)
(See Harris v. Denver Post and listen to/read the transcript of the oral arguments for more information on how the basement tapes were kept from the public)
Summary and partial transcript
The following is a compilation of several transcripts and summaries published by news outlets over the years. Although "Bill Ockham" took credit for creating a large portion of this, it was actually published to the Lost Media wiki discussion forum in 2016, compiled from archived news sources.
Evidence #265: 8mm tape approx. 2 hours long
March 15, 1999
Eric & Dylan are in the basement family room at Eric’s residence at 8276 South Reed Street.
Eric is sitting on a couch & Dylan is sitting on an adjacent chair, a coffee table is between them.
Most of the tape is taken from this position while they discuss a number of different topics.
They speak of their hope that the videos they're making will one day be shown all over the world when their "masterpiece" is done and everyone wants to know why they did it.
Dylan: "I’d like to Thank Mark John Doe & Phil John Doe. I hope you don't get fucked"
Eric Laughs.
Dylan continues: “We used them, they had no Fucking clue. Don't blame them. And don't fucking arrest them. Don't arrest any of our friends, or family members or our co-workers. They had no fucking clue. Don't arrest anyone, because they didn't have a fucking clue. If it hadn’t been them it would have been someone else over 21."
They mention Green Mountain Guns’ message on Eric’s answering machine stating “your clips are in." Eric's dad, Wayne Harris, answered the phone.
When the clerk told him "Hey, your clips are in," Wayne - who owned guns himself - told the clerk he hadn't ordered any clips. Eric said his father never asked whether the caller even had the right phone number. Eric says if either the clerk or his father had asked just one question, "we would have been fucked."
Dylan: “ We wouldn’t have been able to do what we are going to do.”
They talk about Brandon Larson [Brandon E Larson Grade 10] stating "You will find his body."
They discuss bombs & reference "two bags” of “propane and napalm” sitting quietly.
They discuss the shotgun & “Mr Stevens” [Mark C Stevens 11-11-58 Tanner Gun Show].
They say, “We’re proving ourselves.” They go on to discuss philosophies.
“It’s humanity,” Dylan Klebold says, flipping an obscene gesture toward the camera. “Look at what you made,” he tells the world.
“You’re fucking shit, you humans, and you need to die,” he says.
Dylan: "It’s Humans that I hate."
Eric: “It’s fucking plain and simple.”
Dylan: “Whatever happened to natural selection?”
Both talked of being treated as nerds by athletes and others. Harris, an Air Force brat, said "the fucking government closed the bases down.”
Eric goes on to complain about his father & the fact that they had to move five times and that he was always the fucking new kid in school and always at the bottom of the “fucking food chain” and had no chance to earn any respect.
Eric: "Whenever I'd start at a new school, people would see me and say, "there’s another fucking scrawny white kid." I had to go through all that shit so many times.”
Eric: “More rage. More rage." (motions with his hands for emphasis) "Keep building it on."
Eric is wearing a black t-shirt with “Wilder Wein” [Rammstein song means Wild Wine] on the front. Eric references his shirt several times, but does not explain what it means.
Dylan: "If you could see all the anger I've stored over the past four fucking years..."
Dylan then recalls how popular and athletic his older brother Byron was and how he constantly "ripped" on him, as did his brother's friends. According to Dylan, with the exception of his parents, his extended family treated him like the runt of the litter.
Dylan: "You made me what I am. You added to the rage."
Dylan: " I’m sorry I have so much rage, but you put it in me.”
Harris said he planned to blow one youth’s face off and expected to receive the same treatment. "I imagine I will be shot in the head by a fucking cop."
Dylan says that as far back as the Foothills Day Care center he hated the "stuck-up" kids who he felt hated him. "Being shy didn't fucking help. I'm going to kill you all. You've been giving us shit for years."
Dylan says “Fuck you Walsh.” They reference “Walsh” patrolling in Deer Creek, the same officer who arrested them for breaking into a van in January 1998. [Deputy Tim S Walsh JCSO]
At one point, they make some comments about there being a “month and a half left."
They again reference Green Mountain Guns and the message on the machine that said, "your clips are in."
Dylan and Eric brag about hiding their tools of death and about the close calls along the way. Eric shows the camera a black tackle box with his bomb-making equipment stowed inside. They boast about concocting their plan under the noses of unsuspecting parents and friends.
Eric tells about a day he was going to go shooting in the mountains. He had his shotgun in a gym bag: it was in his "terrorist bag, sticking out." When he walked by his mother, she saw the butt of the gun, but she assumed it was nothing more sinister than his BB gun. Fooling people was a point of pride for both boys, one they gloat about during the video-taping.
Eric: "I could convince them that I'm going to climb Mount Everest, or I have a twin brother growing out of my back. I can make you believe anything.”
Dylan recalls a time when his parents walked into his bedroom while he was trying on his trench coat to see if it would hide his sawed-off shotgun. "They didn't even know it was there."
They go on to discuss several individuals.
Klebold: “Dustin Harrison, everything you say is fucking pointless.”
Harris: “Shut the fuck up Nick, you laugh too much! And those two girls sitting next to you, they probably want you to shut the fuck up, too! Jesus! Rachel and Jen... and... whatever (Klebold: Jesus, you're on a roll)."
Klebold: "Rachel, Jen, I don’t like you, you’re stuck up little bitches, you’re fucking little... Christianity, Godly little whores!"
Harris: "Yeah, I love Jesus! I love Jesus! — shut the fuck up!"
Klebold: "What would Jesus do? What the fuck would I do? Ka-pow!," mocking the Christians WWJD bracelets wear, then aiming his finger gun-like at the camera.
Harris: "I would shoot you in your mother fucking head! Go Romans! Thank God they crucified that asshole."
Harris AND Klebold: "Go Romans! Go Romans! Yeah! Wooo!"
Eric discusses “Arlene” and about it being a 12-gauge Savage shotgun.
They say “Thank’s to the gun show and to Robyn,” “Robyn is very cool."
They then decide to videotape a tour of “Reb’s room” and all the “illegal shit."
During the time that they have been sitting on the couch and the chair, they were drinking from a Jack Daniel’s whiskey bottle. Eric mentions that he has the whiskey bottle.
They stand up from where they had been sitting and take the camera and begin videotaping Eric’s lower level bedroom.
Eric: (waves at the camera) "Hi, mom."
While touring Eric’s room, the two would act like typical teenagers, even burping into the camera at one point. They wash down Sweet Tart-like candies with whisky at another interval.
They began videotaping a desk with a hutch in Eric’s bedroom.
Eric points out a pair of gloves he took from a doctor’s office which he uses for "making bombs."
He points to numerous packages of fireworks on top of a speaker on top of the hutch.
He points to a pop can with several shots through it and numerous shotgun shells, which were sitting on the hutch.
He points to a small "black treasure chest” and says it is a “good hiding place."
He points to a small bullet and references it to being his "first bullet."
He points to solar igniters, engines, batteries, clocks, and pipes in a drawer.
They describe clocks in the desk drawer as two "future bombs.”
He describes “completed pipe bombs” and pulls them out from a Home Base bag in one of the desk drawers.
He describes “BETA batch” pipe bombs and pulls them out from another Home Base bag in one of the desk drawers.
Dylan mentions a “bunker” and attempts to videotape out the west window of Eric’s room but it is dark outside and you cannot see anything other than the glare on the window. Dylan states there is a patch of ground where it is buried under the dirt.
Dylan: "You can't see it, it's buried there. That's why it's called a bunker."
Eric states [in the bunker] there are “four mortar grenades, ten crickets, and three ALPHA’s."
During the tour of Harris’ bedroom, where outside they have buried some of their ammunition in what they call "the bunker,” the two point out semi-automatic weapons and Harris’ beloved G.I. Joe action figures. “I’ve always loved them,” Harris says, with Klebold complaining that the manufacturer should make “at least one moveable part” in G.I. Joes.
"That’ll take out whoever can fucking get close to it,” Klebold says as he shows off a stash of three pipe bombs.
“Thank God my parents don’t search my room,” Harris responds with a laugh.
Eric then points to a blue spiral notebook which he describes as his "journal."
Harris waves his journal and suggests to law enforcement officials that if they want to know what led him to plan a bloody rampage, they should simply "read this."
They show a box of "crickets,” which appear to be small CO2 cartridges.
They began videotaping a dresser on the west wall of Eric’s room.
He opens up a dresser door/drawer & points out a “Hell Dog drawing,” which is taped to the inside of that door/drawer and mentions it was given to him years ago. Next to it is a piece of paper: “Anarchist substitute ingredient list."
Eric describes a "25 pound bag of #8 buckshot,” which is inside that dresser, but doesn’t show the bag on the video.
Eric then pulls out a BB rifle box from a “hall closet” and states this is where he keeps his shotgun.
Eric then pulls out a box from within his room closet and states this is his knife. He pulls it out and says he paid $15 for it. The knife is in a black sheath. He states there is a “swastika” on it. The camera zooms in where you can see what appears to be a swastika carved into the sheath.
Eric: “Gotta love the Nazis. Nazis are so efficient.”
On the East wall of Eric’s room, adjacent to a bedroom door, they point out a coil of green wire hanging on a wall which they describe as “50 feet of cannon fuse."
They then go to a bookcase also on the East wall of Eric’s bedroom.
From there they talk about a "Demon Knight” CD and open the case, revealing a Green Mountain Guns receipt for a purchase of “nine magazines” for $15 each.
Eric removes a rack of CDs to reveal three pipe bombs, which he says are the “biggest."
Eric pulls out a small black card file type box containing "29 crickets,” CO2 cartridge bombs.
Eric points to an unseen area that has a “coffee can in the corner which is full of gunpowder." (This is the same coffee can Eric and Nate Dykeman filled when they de-powdered fireworks in Nate's garage)
On the North wall floor of Eric’s bedroom is a black plastic box with "EXPLOSIVES” etched into the side of it.
Dylan mentions how Eric’s parents took it away, but Eric then clarifies that they only took the bomb out of it and left him with the box.
Inside the box are clock parts, fuses, tools, and CO2 cartridges.
They also show a white plastic file case containing “nails for pipe bombs, caps to be filled with gunpowder,” two boxes 50 each of 9mm bullets, 12 shotgun shells in a box, another box of shotgun shells, clips for a gun, and webbing.
Eric: “What you will find on my body in April."
LATER ON THE TAPE
Dylan Klebold sits in a tan La-Z-Boy recliner in Eric's basement bedroom, chewing on a toothpick, while Eric Harris messes around with the now-stationary video recorder. When he's done, Eric moves to sit in another recliner with the bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, and his sawed-off shotgun named "Arlene" on his lap. He takes a small swig. The whiskey stings, but he tries to hide it. Dylan stretches and knocks over a can of Soda. Eric gets upset about it.
They quietly clean it up so Eric’s parents don’t come to see what happened.
Eric: (in reference to the Oregon and Kentucky shootings) "Do not think we're trying to copy anyone. We had the idea before the first one ever happened. Our plan is better, not like those fucks in Kentucky with camouflage and .22s. Those kids were only trying to be accepted by others."
They bragged that previous school assaults were bush league and they weren’t copy cats. "We’re the real McCoy,” said Harris, with Klebold adding, “I know we are going to have a following."
Throughout the tapes they quote sources as diverse as Shakespeare and the popular '80s teen movie “The Breakfast Club” adding profanities in.
They go on to talk about how they hate all races: "niggers, spics, Jews, fucking whites."
They also mention enemies that abused them and friends who didn't do enough to defend them.
Dylan: “I fucking hate niggers, They’re not as fucking smart as white people. They’re all spear-chuckers while we’re shooting guns.”
Eric: “Yes, moms stay home. Fucking make me dinner, bitch, that’s what women are supposed to fucking do.”
A couple times during the rants, Dylan has to warn Eric to talk more quietly so as not to wake Eric's parents who're sleeping upstairs.
They sneer at life in the suburbs, rant obscenely at blacks and feminists and born-again Christians and jocks and people who wear Tommy Hilfiger clothes. They mimic people they think are stupid, using squeaky, funny voices and funny faces.
Eric: "We need a fucking kick start. If we have a fucking religious war - or oil - or anything. We need to get a chain reaction going here. It's gonna be like fucking Doom man - after the bombs explode. Tick, tick, tick, tick... Haa! That fucking shotgun (he kisses his gun) straight out of Doom. Go ahead and change gun laws - how do you think we got ours?"
Eric: “Gosh, she’s fucking beautiful. This is what you fuckers are up against.” Talking about his sawed off shotgun.
Eric: "We're going to kick-start a revolution, a revolution of the dispossessed."
They discuss coming back as ghosts to haunt the survivors, to "create flashbacks from what we do and drive them insane."
They both make Ghost sounds to imitate haunting survivors and make faces at the camera.
“I don’t give a Fuck about anybody. Otherwise I’d be more remorseful," Eric tells the camera.
Dylan: “I just know I want to kill the little fuckers who fucked with me. It’s going to be like Doom, man," referring to his favorite video game.
Eric: "You guys will all die, and it will be fucking soon! I hope you get an idea of what we're implying here. You all need to die! We need to die, too! Of course, we’ll fucking die killing you fucking shit heads. We need to fucking kick-start the revolution here!"
Dylan: "The most deaths in U.S. history."
Eric: (kisses his shotgun) "Hopefully."
Dylan: "I hope we kill 250 of you."
Eric: "We're hoping. We're hoping."
Dylan: "It will be the most nerve-racking 15 minutes of my life after the bombs are set and we're waiting to charge through the school. Seconds will be like hours. I can't wait. I'll be shaking like a leaf."
Eric says he plans on scalping someone.
Dylan asks, ”who?”
Eric responds, “you’ll see.”
They expect to be famous, to have a cult of followers after they die. They have advice for whoever those kids might be.
Dylan: “If you’re going to go fucking psycho and kill a bunch of people like us... do it right.”
Eric: "I hope people have flashbacks."
Eric: (making shooting noises while aiming his shotgun) "Isn't it fun to get the respect we're going to deserve? We don't give a shit because we're going to die doing it."
Eric and Dylan recall how it's always been: We're the geeks who always got picked on. You name the grade. How girls would never call them back. Even as a senior, a punk freshman 'ripped' or picked on him, Dylan Klebold recalled. The freshman didn't get in trouble; he did. It would never stop. Unless he made it stop.
“Only four or five people here didn't rip on me - four or five out of the whole state of Colorado!'' Eric Harris moaned to his pal. If he were just able to get in small fistfights, like he used to, Harris says. Now, he'd get suspended, his parents sued. Now, he says, pointing his shotgun "Arlene" at the screen, he has no choice.
Eric: "and If you get pissed off about it, well, go kill some people. Take out some aggression.” [to anyone angry about the Columbine attack].
It's getting late; Eric looks at his watch and says it's 1:28 AM on March 15. Dylan says people will note the date and time when watching it.
Eric: “Let’s talk about our parents for a minute."
Dylan: (Predicting his parents' feelings of regret) "If only we could have reached them sooner, or found this tape."
Eric: "If only we would have searched their room. If only we would have asked the right questions." (talks about his mother being thoughtful, bringing him candy and Slim Jims) "I really am sorry about all this."
Dylan: "They gave me my fucking life. It's up to me what I do with it."
Eric: (shrugs) "My parents might have made some mistakes that they weren't really aware of”, but he says that war is war." He knows what’s in store for them. “They’re going to go through hell once we’re finished. They’re never going to see the end of it."
Eric quotes the same Shakespeare line found in his day planner on the date for Mother’s Day: "Good wombs hath borne bad sons."
Dylan: (talks about how his parents taught him to be independent and self-reliant) "I appreciate that."
Dylan: “You can’t understand what we feel, no matter how much you think you can,” to his parents. "I didn't want to do any more bonding with them. It will be a lot easier on them if I haven't been around as much."
Klebold addresses all his relatives. "I'm sorry I have so much rage," he says.
Eric plays with a pair of scissors, rapidly snapping the blades together and apart, together and apart. They laugh at the noise. Dylan mixes candy and whiskey in his mouth.
Dylan is playing with the candy pieces. He holds up one shape.
"Hey, guys,” he says, “it’s a house.”
They talk about how this is their “little film festival” and that people will want to make movies out of it.
They talk about how they want movies to be made about their story. Eric says he wants the film to have "a lot of foreshadowing and dramatic irony." He mentions a poem he wrote where he imagined himself as a bullet.
Dylan: "Directors will be fighting over this story. I know we're gonna have followers because we're so fucking Godlike. We're not exactly human -- we have human bodies but Cale Martin Kennedy, we've evolved into one step above you, fucking human shit. We actually have fucking self-awareness."
The boys speculate whether Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino should direct the film.
Eric says he wants Tarantino because Spielberg would “Fuck it up” with family-friendly bullshit.
The tape is shut off @ 1:28am March 15th The tape is re-started March 18th.
Eric and Dylan are in the lower level family room of Eric’s house.
They state it is now "March 18th in the middle of the night."
They talk about "ECHO & DELTA” pipe bombs and whether or not to put nails on them or not.
They state that “religions are gay” and for “people who are weak and can’t deal with life."
Klebold: “God doesn’t exist."
They state that they need to discuss secondary objectives to place the bombs, places that are "out of the way."
Dylan discusses a trail by Wadsworth "by your [Eric’s] old house” [7844 South Teller Court].
They mention that they should “rig something up with a trip bomb between two trees, so when someone goes down the path it will go off."
They then discuss the possibility of placing "time bombs down there."
They then discuss it would be "harder and take more resources."
They state, "this will add a few frags to the list” and that the “fucking fire department is going to be busy for a month."
They mention an individual by the name of ”?“ They say the name ”?“
Eric describes how he is going to "shoot in the groin area."
They mention “Jesse Gordon” and the “Goof Troop."
They mention that "nigger stopped us that day” and how black people talk in “ebonics."
They discuss "spics."
They discuss bowling and how each individual in the bowling class has a designated culture group to use as a target on the bowling pins to kill and that this assists them in bowling better.
They mention that "world peace is an impossible thing."
They discuss that you can look on the internet and learn how to make, "bombs, poison, napalm, and how to buy guns if you’re underage."
They state that "Mrs X-Y-Z bought our guns.”
They mention that there are “only two weeks left and one more weekend” and that “it is coming up fucking quick."
Eric: ”The napalm better not freeze at that certain person’s house."
Dylan: "It shouldn’t."
They discuss "Chris pizza guy's house” as if they’re trying to disguise a name.
They go on to discuss “Yoshi” in a negative fashion. (Yoshi Carrol, a student who moved to the area from Romania in 8th grade and was friends with Nate Dykeman)
They say that they need a “lot more napalm” and may just use “gas and oil"
They discuss gun laws.
They expect tougher gun laws to be discussed because of them. Don’t do it, they say; it will only create a black market in guns. “Putting more laws on won’t change that,” Dylan says.
They discuss that it will be tough and opening the zipper may make it go off and needing some "back ups."
They state that the sprinkler system may "put out a fire."
Eric mentions that he should possibly keep the battery out of the device, set the bag, put it in & leave so it doesn’t "blow up in the commons."
They discuss "credit card fraud” and Eric raises his hand as if he had done it.
They talk about breaking into a van to steal electrical equipment.
Eric asks Dylan, “Why it didn’t go as planned.”
Dylan responds, “We didn’t fucking plan it, that’s why.”
They talk about “tests” stating “We wouldn’t be where we are without them."
They talk about books they’ve liked.
They talk about an afterlife.
They say they hope the afterlife - if there is one - is like spending eternity in Doom, the video game they love most. Eric says it would be neat if the afterlife included getting to look at the world’s mysteries. He quotes Socrates, explains the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean to Klebold as they discuss the afterlife.
"I hope it's not boring," they say.
They discuss gas and oil and it being "one hell of a mental picture."
They mention the possibility of people catching on fire.
They state that graduation will be a "graduation memorial service with lots of people crying."
They also mention that there will probably be a candlelight memorial.
Eric says that he’s got "100 bullets and 10 loaded clips” and that he needs lasers for his carbine.
They then address the camera and say, “You guys are lucky it doesn’t hold more ammo."
Dylan states that he has a "50 round clip, two 36’s, and a 2T."
They mention that "there is a lot of shit to do."
They state they need to set up more "propane bombs” and get more containers.
Dylan says he needs to get his pants, fill his clip, and get his pouches to load his shells in.
They say they need “devices” for the “propane tanks."
They state they need more "bomb holders."
Eric mentions that they need to go to Radio Shack because he heard there is a "thing to increase the voltage” it somehow increases through a clock and speaker & ignites a solar igniter.
Eric says he will tell the people he is doing special effects for a movie and “that will be a good excuse."
Dylan: "We are, but we aren’t psycho."
Eric remarks saying he likes that.
Dylan asked Eric if he thinks the cops will listen to the whole video.
They say they believe that the video will be cut up into little pieces and the police will just show the public what they want it to look like.
They mention that they want to distribute the videos to four news stations and that Eric is going to scan his journal and then send copies by e-mail and distribute blueprints and maps.
Eric then mentions "TIER” [DOOM mod/wad] and describes it as “my life’s work” and wanting to get it “published."
Evidence #298 Two 8mm Tapes About 22 Minutes in Length
April 11, 1999
During daylight hours, Eric is driving and Dylan is in the passenger seat. They state, “We are on our way to get the rest of our gear."
They mention that it is now "Monday, April 11th."
Dylan says he has ”$200 dollars on him."
Eric says that he is going to “cash a check for $50."
Dylan mentions that they have been "planning this for over eight months."
Eric says "At least."
They pass the intersection of "Sante Fe & Mineral."
The tape is shut off.
The tape is started.
During daylight hours, Eric is driving and Dylan is in the passenger seat.
They are stopped at a stop light or stop sign on the east side of Broadway north of Hampden.
Eric is smoking a large cigar and states it is his "birthday cigar."
They say they have just purchased two rather large fuel containers and three propane bottles and Dylan also got his pants/BDU’s.
The tape is shut off.
The tape is started.
April 12, 1999
17 minutes long
Eric is alone with the video camera resting either on his knee or something else and filming directly at his face.
Behind him is a headboard and behind the headboard is a bulletin board.
Eric: "This is for mom and dad and for the cops or the people who somehow want to have them pay for what I did," he says.
Eric: ”To any of you cops out there, don’t make my parents pay. They are the best fucking parents he’s ever known. It would not solve anything to arrest them. My dad is great. I wish I was a fucking sociopath so I didn't have any remorse, but I do. This is going to tear them apart. They will never forget it."
He then addresses his parents directly, if briefly: "There is nothing you guys could have done to prevent any of this. There is nothing that anyone could have done to prevent this. No one is to blame except me and Vodka. Our actions are a two man war against everyone else. I declared war on the human race and war is what it is."
Eric then states it’s been "hard” on him recently.
He mentions that his parents have been on his “back for putting things off such as "insurance and the Marine Corp."
Eric: "But they don’t know that none of this matters to me."
Eric: "It's kinda hard on me, these last few days. This is my last week on Earth and they don't know."
Eric: "To you Coolios out there still alive, sorry I hurt you or your friends."
Eric: "To all the fuck heads out there: get busy. The apocalypse is coming and it’s starting in eight days,” Harris says during a close-up. “Oh yeah,” Harris says, licking his lips, “It’s comin’, all right."
He mentions that this is total "KMFDM."
Eric: "There are 7 and 1/3 days left."
Eric then gets an odd look on his face and says, "fucking bitches."
He mentions five names.
[Megan] [Megan Steckly Grade 9 - Jeffco not 100% sure of this Lead]
[Karen] [Karen Ann Schott]
[Tanya] [Tanya Worlock]
[Unknown]
Eric: "You know who you are. Thanks. You made me feel good. Think about that for a while, fucking bitches.” After listing five girls who never even called him back.
"Oh, God," Eric says, "this came up so quickly. It's pretty weird knowing that you're going to die."
He talks about the work he still has to do in his and Klebold's "two-man war against everyone else."
He says he’s going to be “one tired mother fucker come Monday then Boom! I’ll get shot & die."
Eric then goes on to film his planning book/notebook and describes it as the “Book of God."
He says that his beliefs have changed somewhat during the year, over the course of time he has been writing.
One of the first pages lists perhaps a dozen Columbine students from the class of 1998 that Harris says he would have liked to kill.
On another page, Harris lists some kids who apparently were intended victims.
Page labeled as “Should have died first”
-- "Scoop," "Pretty Boy," and "The Man in the Yellow Hat."
"You're lucky you got out when you did," he says.
He turns to the page [026022] of figurines drawn with ammo, bombs & guns.
He states that it is the "drawing of gear, back when we thought we could get calico’s."
He points to a picture with a backpack labeled "napalm” He says this is the “suicide plan."
He turns to the page [026023] of the inventories of the bombs.
He points to the top of the page and states that these are how many bullets they’re going to have.
He points to [026026-026027] some drawings in the back stating they are "DOOM drawings."
He points to page [026028] of different types of weapons and states that these are "plans for rocket launchers & such. Most will not see the new world."
He points to page [026029] of more"DOOM drawings” with a “KMFDM twist to them.”
He shows a page that is labelled “Have/Need” listing various items.
Eric: “Somehow, I’ll publish these. This is the thought process, the evolution I’ve gone through for the past year.”
On the bottom of one page, Harris draws a swastika and a "SS," a possible reference to Hitler's secret police.
The last entry was made on April 3.
Then the journal tediously lists details about the weapons and bombs amassed by Harris and Klebold -- the number of bullets, the weight of explosives. One section describes six batches of pipe bombs that Harris calls by the military nicknames "Alpha," "Beta," "Charlie," "Delta," "Echo" and "Foxtrot."
He details their tests on home-made napalm, a jellied form of gasoline, and plans for rocket launchers.
Harris includes several drawings from Doom, his favorite video game, and diagrams for the way he and Klebold planned to carry their gear.
Tape Cuts then plays radioactive clothing.
Evidence #333 8mm Tape "Top Secret Rampart" About 40 Minutes in Length
Late March, 1999
Eric is video taping Dylan.
On the floor are laid out numerous pipe bombs:
Three are the "CHARLIE Batch” and they are two inches in diameter and six inches in length.
Six appear to be about one inch in diameter and about six inches in length.
Twelve appear to be about one and one half inches in diameter and about six inches in length.
All of these pipe bombs are wrapped in duct tape.
Also on the floor is a sawed off shotgun, which Eric refers to as “Arlene."
While Eric is videotaping the shotgun, it appears that "Arlene” is etched into the side of the gun.
Also on the floor is a black long gun which Eric refers to as a carbine.
Thirteen clips are observed on the floor.
Eric says that they [9] were from Green Mountain Guns and “Yes they did have the right number."
Also on the floor are two boxes of what appear to be 9mm bullets.
Eric points out "my bandolier of stuff, and states it will be filled with "napalm."
Also on the floor is a black plastic box, which is filled with duct taped items Eric describes as twenty nine "crickets” and states they are his grenades.
Eric then gives the camera to Dylan, who films Eric holding some of the guns.
The tape is shut off.
The tape is started.
Eric is wearing no shirt and a web type harness, carrying the 9mm carbine attached to a sling, holding the shotgun.
At one point, Eric places the shotgun into one of the cargo pockets and then with a web strap, secures it so that it is at his side.
Dylan comments about Eric as a “soon-to-be eighteen-year-old.”
At one point, Dylan refers to “my TEC” and states he wants to do something with it “this weekend, maybe tomorrow."
At the same time Dylan says, “but my parents are going to fucking Passover.” [Passover is April 1]
Eric then looks at Dylan with a startled look and says, ”You're Jewish?”
Dylan says, “Yeah, Like ½ or ¼.”
Eric looks at him and says, "Oh, sorry man, that’s too bad."
Dylan moves from filming Eric in the lower level family room to the inside of Eric’s bedroom.
The tape is shut off.
The tape is started.
April 6
Eric is driving alone with the camera recording him from the dashboard.
It is dark outside and there are raindrops on the window of the car.
At one point you see a street sign that says "Federal."
There is music playing in the car, which is fairly loud.
Eric mentions "the BlackJack crew” “Jason” [Jason Secore] & “Chris” [Christopher Morris]. Eric says, “You guys are very cool. Sorry dudes, I had to do what I had to do."
Eric also mentions "Angel” [Angel Pytlinski] “Phil” [Philip Duran] and “Bob” [Robert Kirgis] “Bob is one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met in my life, except for being an alcoholic.” Eric says he’s going to miss Bob.
Eric states, “It is a weird feeling knowing you’re going to be dead in 2 weeks."
Eric mentions not being able to decide "if we should do it before or after prom."
Eric says he wished he could have revisited Michigan and "old friends."
At this point he becomes silent and starts crying and wipes a tear from the left side of his face.
The tape is shut off.
The tape is started.
April 17, 1999
Eric is filming Dylan in Dylan’s bedroom.
Dylan is wearing black BDU’s, a black t-shirt with "Wrath” in red print across the front.
He attaches black suspenders to his pants and also attaches a tan ammo type pouch to his belt or suspenders and a green canvas pouch to his right shin.
Dylan Picks up Eric’s Shotgun while he is filming and points it to the camera.
Eric says, “Holy Shit that’s Scary.”
Dylan proceeds to pump the shotgun laughing while pointing it at the camera.
Eric screams, “Jesus Christ put the fucking safety on!”
Dylan laughs and puts “arlene” on the floor.
Eric Laughs, “I would’ve never gotten a date for prom if I had no fucking jaw.”
He then removes some items from an open small suitcase/hard sided briefcase on the floor.
He takes a sawed off shotgun and places it into a cargo pocket on his pants and then attaches it with webbing so that it stays in place.
He has the TEC-9 on a sling over his shoulder.
He comments about his “50 round clip."
Dylan mentions "Brandon Larson” and his head being on his knife.
Dylan: “He doesn’t deserve the jaw evolution gave him."
Dylan mentions “Robyn” and going to prom with her.
"Robyn," Klebold says, addressing his prom date and gun buyer Robyn Anderson, "I didn't really want to go to prom. But since I'm going to be dying, I thought I might do something cool. Also my parents are paying for it."
Eric comments about having three bags to use.
They talk about wanting to “practice” the next couple of nights.
Eric mentions that they got “lasers and more propane today."
Klebold: “That is cool, dude. Every faggot’s last sight.” [as Harris sights a gun’s laser light on him].
Eric also mentions four big black containers and two of some sort of other fuel [inaudible].
They begin talking about writing poems in "Kelly’s class today” [Teacher Judith Kelly, Creative Writing] and how ridiculous it was.
They then begin talking about the double barrel shotgun.
Dylan: “Thanks Mr Stevens” [Mark C Stevens, Tanner Gun Show] and tells Eric “he knew I was fucking buying it."
Dylan puts on his long black trench coat and says, "I’m fat on this side” and talks about how he looks “fucking fat with all this stuff on."
Dylan tries to toss the TEC-9 into his hand from the position where it was hanging on the sling. The coat prohibited him from doing that.
Dylan practices drawing a shotgun from inside a black trench coat. Eric tells him he has to do it faster.
Dylan then says, "I’ll have to take the coat off."
He begins complaining about how he doesn’t want to take his coat off and states he likes his coat saying “It’s long. It keeps the elements off.”
They state that the "fucking snow is gay” relating to the weather outside.
They “hope the shit clears out by Tuesday, actually Sunday."
Eric says he "needs dry weather for my fires."
The tape is shut off.
The tape is started.
April 20, 1999
1 minute, 20 seconds long
Dylan is wearing a black hat backwards with a "B” outlined in white on the back of the hat.
He is wearing a plaid shirt untucked, which is either black or dark blue with white.
He is wearing black BDU type pants tucked into military style lace-up boots.
Eric is wearing a plaid shirt which appears to be black or dark blue with white.
There is a white t-shirt under the plaid shirt.
The lower portion of Harris body is not visible.
On the floor are several bags.
One appears to be a large maroon bag.
Eric is filming Dylan in the family room on the main level of Eric’s house.
Eric: “Say it now."
Dylan: "Hey mom. Gotta go. It’s about a half an hour before our little judgment day. I just wanted to apologize to you guys for any crap this might instigate as far as [inaudible] or something. Just know I’m going to a better place. I didn’t like life too much and I know I’ll be happy wherever the fuck I go. So I’m gone. Good-bye. Reb..."
Dylan takes the camera & starts filming Eric. Eric’s also wearing a plaid shirt that’s either dark blue or black with white, with a white t-shirt on underneath. His lower half can’t be seen.
Eric: "Yeah … Everyone I love I’m really sorry about all this. I know my mom and dad will be just like just fucking shocked beyond belief. I’m sorry alright. I can’t help it."
Dylan interjects "We did what we had to do."
Eric then says, "Morris, Nate, if you guys live I want you guys to have whatever you want from my room and the computer room."
Dylan states they can also have his possessions.
Eric then says, "Susan, sorry. Under different circumstances it would’ve been a lot different. I want you to have that Fly cd." (a reference to Bomb Threat Before She Blows)
Eric: (eventually) "That's it. Sorry. Goodbye."
Dylan: (sticks his face in the camera) "Goodbye."
The tape ends with a brief glimpse of a sign on the wall of Eric's bedroom, someone's arm partially blocking it from sight. It's the letters: CHS along with a drawing of a bomb with a lit fuse and, in bold black letters, the word "clue."