“THERE IS NO LONGER A THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY,” tweeted the FBI. According to an update on CBS4, Sol Pais, the 18-year-old Florida woman ‘infatuated’ with Columbine, was found dead near the Echo Lake Campground in the Arapaho National Forest.
Denver-area public schools were closed while authorities in Colorado conducted a massive manhunt for Pais, accused of making “credible threats” against Denver-area schools four days before the 20th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting.
According to an FBI press conference held Tuesday evening, Pais purchased a “pump-action shotgun” and ammunition after traveling from Miami to the Denver International Airport on Monday night.
During his statement, special agent Dean Phillips from Denver FBI acknowledged the concern of those living in the Denver metro area.
“The reason we’re having this press conference tonight is to educate the public, and [sic] educate you so that we can, hopefully, relieve some of that anxiety.”
[adsanity id=”35667″ align=”aligncenter”/]While there is still no information on whether her threats were aimed at a particular place, police considered Pais, who was last spotted near the foothills of Jefferson County, a threat to the public.
“Her comments, her actions that we have heard about from others tend to cause us great concern that she may pose a threat to a school,” he said.
On Tuesday, Miami Herald reported that a man, identifying himself as Pais’ father, said he had lost contact with her on Sunday. “I think maybe she’s got a mental problem,” he told The Herald. “I think she’s going to be O.K.”
Earlier Wednesday, however, a woman hiking near the Echo Lake Campground told CBS4 she was told to leave the area after “a naked woman matching the description with a gun was spotted in the area running through the woods.”
[adsanity id=”35665″ align=”aligncenter”/]NBC News reports that a journal—signed using Pais’ full names—has been found. Though police have not confirmed if the journal belonged to the teen, journal entries, dated June 2018 through March 30, 2019, describe feeling ‘miserable’ and ‘out of place,’ along with having thoughts of suicide and a desire to procure weapons.
The incident involving Pais comes days after a new Colorado bill is signed into law. The “red flag” law, which allows guns to be temporarily seized from people deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others, was signed Friday. Sadly, it does not go into effect until January, writes The Denver Post.
“This law will not prevent every shooting, but it can be used in a targeted way,” Governor Jared Polis said Friday. “Today we may be saving the life of your nephew, your niece, your grandchild.”
[adsanity id=”35666″ align=”aligncenter”/]Though Pais is no longer considered a threat, her actions speak volumes to the people of Columbine.