While we were very familiar with dynamics of school violence before April 20, 1999, being on the front lines of the Columbine tragedy took our involvement to another level.
The Nicoletti-Flater staff was on the scene of the mass shooting within 45 minutes of the first shots fired offering aid to families and public safety officers at the command center. That evening we helped victims’ families at nearby Leawood Elementary School.
During the days and weeks that followed, we conducted debriefings for many affected groups in the Denver metro area; reaching law enforcement personnel, SWAT team members, bomb squads, investigators, and victims-assistance units. We have counseled victims, families, police officers, and others who were emotionally affected by the events of that day.
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